I Know Those Eyes
by roomfishing
Summary: [Complete] Seven years following Sasuke’s disappearance, Sakura, now a medical-nin, goes on an ANBU assassination mission. SasuSaku. Contains spoilers, PG-13 for mild V, L, S.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. All Naruto characters belong to Kishimoto-sensei, whom I bow down to.

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The door closed behind her. She held the folder in one hand and walked down the long hallway, occasionally waving a hello and saying a good morning to her fellow shinobi. She sighed as she took a turn into the chuunin lounge for a quick cup of coffee.

For Haruno Sakura, this day was like any other. She yawned as she stirred in some creamer and milk.

_Yes, even the coffee is cheap as ever, _she said to herself.

She had just received a mission from Tsunade-sama to be a medical-nin on yet another ANBU task. She could almost do these missions in her sleep. Time had definitely passed since she was the useless, young konoichi always getting in the way. Although her skill level wasn't and could never be anywhere near her old teammates', she found her niche in the medical field and became a valuable asset to her squad during battle. Tsunade constantly reminded medical ninjas before missions to keep their wits with them at all times and not let emotion clouds sound judgment. Lucky for Sakura and her career, she was rather level-headed these days. Her goal was always clear- to tend to and heal the injured. She never got too involved with the task itself, and of course, never got involved with the members executing the task. She found it just made her job easier. No faces, no names- just bodies and wounds. It made sense.

Sakura lazily opened the folder as she sipped her coffee, but soon got bored reading the context of the mission.

_They're all the same anyway._

She shut the folder again and stared at the coffee machine.

_Tsunade-sama said 3 pm, right? Hmm...short notice. _

Sakura mechanically left the lounge and exited the main offices, pouring the final half of her coffee down a drinking fountain on the way out.

The sun was bright for 8 am, and Sakura squinted painfully as she walked back to her apartment. She passed by Ichiraku Ramen on her way back, smiling at the memory of Naruto's obsession with their miso noodles. Then Sakura's mouth tensed and her brows furrowed a bit.

_Naruto...you better be careful on your mission! _

She was a little worried. He was a jounin already, one of the best in the village; but as such, he was constantly embarking on crazy S class missions. Naruto would always jump at the challenge, but during the brief periods he was home Sakura could see the fatigue marking his young face. Maybe it was a test from Tsunade- rumor had it that she was going to appoint the 6th soon. Naruto probably felt like he needed to prove himself for the job.

She missed him- he had been gone for, what, a whole month now. Over the years Naruto had mellowed out a bit, let go of his silly crush on her, and grown into a handsome young man, but she always saw him as the endearingly noisy, determined ninja. They were friends, best friends- but only friends. Their relationship was comfortable the way it was.

Sakura arrived at the familiar Yamanaka Flower Shop.

"Ah! Sakura, a little late today?" a friendly voice called to her behind the desk.

"Ohaiyo, Ino. I had to stop by and pick up my mission folder from Tsunade-sama this morning. Were you worried about me?" Sakura smiled at her long time rival but now good friend. There was no reason to compete for Sasuke's love anymore, especially since...

"Haha, I thought maybe you had inherited his disregard for punctuality!" Ino shot back smugly. It was meant to be a joke, but it wasn't funny and she realized that immediately. Ino looked down away from Sakura's gaze and muttered, "Sorry."

Sakura forced a smile and said, "It's okay, Ino. It's been two years now."

Ino shook her head. "It doesn't make it right. I'm really sorry, Sakura, I shouldn't have---"

Sakura waved it off and interrupted her, saying, "Forget it. So did you get any new flowers today?"

Ino sighed and said, "Yeah, they're on the right." She got off her stool and led Sakura to them.

An idea struck her as she bent down to pick out the flowers Sakura always bought. "You know what? Today, they're on the house!"

Sakura, surprised, laughed, "No way, Ino! It's okay!"

As Sakura reached into her pocket, Ino said, "Forget it! I'm not taking your money!"

Sakura began, "if this is about before..."

Ino said, "Please, Sakura. You're so stubborn- just leave! I think you have somewhere to go..."

Sakura sighed and accepted the bouquet from Ino's hands, "Yeah I do. Hopefully I'll come back from my mission before these die."

Ino smiled and gave Sakura a hug. "Good luck- and don't do anything stupid like get yourself killed."

Sakura laughed and said, "I promise I won't. It's nothing I haven't done before." She paused. "Thank you, Ino. And see you soon okay?"

Ino rubbed the side of Sakura's arm and said, "Alright! Take care of yourself."

Sakura waved and left the flower shop.

_Just one more thing to do before I start packing. _

_Sorry, Kakashi-sensei, these flowers will have to last for awhile._


	2. Chapter 2

Sakura made her way across the grassy field to the site of the shinobi memorial. It was a beautiful day; there wasn't a cloud in sight and the slight breeze swept her long hair across her face.

She knelt down at the front of the monument, as she did every morning she was in Konoha, and set the bouquet of flowers on the ground. Hands clasped together, she said a soft prayer. She liked to talk to him. Sometimes she asked for his advice, and even though he couldn't answer, she somehow felt safer. He had always made her feel safe, and now that he was gone, the reality of growing up and taking on the real responsibilities of a shinobi were weighing down on her.

Sakura shivered slightly. It seemed everyone important to her was gone. Naruto constantly away, Kakashi-sensei more permanently absent, and—_Sasuke_. No, the Sasuke she knew was gone a long time ago. Sometimes she wondered where he was, what he was doing, if he had finally killed Itachi, but then she reminded herself that she no longer knew him. Ever since he left Konoha and gave up everything to seek power, he had become a different person. Now he was an infamous S-class criminal in the bingo book, not unlike his brother Itachi. No one knew the true nature of his work, but so far, Konoha had not been on his radar. It's been 7 years, she reminded herself. Seven. She had changed, and he- well, who knew if he's still alive? In all honestly, the world would probably be better off without him, like all S-class criminals.

Still, it was hard to forget. Sometimes she'd go days without thinking about him, only to have some memory spring up in her so suddenly and intensely that she would find herself in tears, like the naïve, love-struck twelve-year old of the past.

_Slowly, it's getting easier though. It's all getting easier. _

Sakura stood up slowly from her kneeling position. The wind was blowing again. It was pleasant. She smoothed her hair and smiled slightly.

_Why not be thankful for all you have, instead of complaining about all you've lost? _She scolded herself. Naruto would probably be back soon and she would hear all about his mission and how he kicked everyone's ass (it always ended that way. That Naruto- never too tired to brag.)

And, of course, Lee. Sakura blushed slightly. He had been so patient and understanding all these years and only recently had Sakura opened her eyes to him as, maybe, something more than a friend. He was reliable, hardworking, caring, and respected in the village. He didn't drive her insane, he never pushed or teased her. Perhaps they would make a great team...

_But first I have to complete this mission, _Sakura reminded herself as she started walking back toward her apartment.  
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At 3 pm, Sakura met her assigned ANBU squad at their designated meeting place.

"We don't want you sticking out. You might get targeted that way," said a masked man in a white hooded cape. "We want you to put this on."

Folded neatly in his hands were the ANBU uniform and cape, in the cloth bag he also carried was all the armor and the mask.

Sakura, who thought the chuunin uniform wasn't very flattering, took the clothes with a slight twinge of excitement she tried to control. Even though she'd never be an ANBU, here was the chance at least to look like one.

She smiled coolly and said, "Fine."

The masked man asked, "So you read the mission, right?"

"Yes, of course," she lied.

"Because you are here, I assume it is okay with you?"

_Why wouldn't it be okay?_ Sakura wondered.

She nodded, "My job is always the same."

_True enough._

"I'm glad you feel that way," returned the captain.

He turned to the rest of his squad who were gathered, there were 6 in all counting Sakura.

"The journey to the site will take around three days. We will travel through the forest. Once we're there, we're to hunt him out, surround him, and kill him. It won't be easy."

One of the ANBU members sighed and said, "I was on this mission before. This guy just won't die. We had to retreat last time."

The captain said, "Regardless, we have to keep trying. He may be a danger to the Leaf. Hokage's orders."

Sakura listened and tried to piece together the nature mission as much as she could, but she knew ANBU never spoke directly about their tasks. The captain always assumed they've read the mission folder, so Sakura probably wasn't getting any more information.

S_o it's an assassination. Wonder who the unlucky bastard is. Five ANBU? He's going down this time for sure._

Even though she had done many missions before, she felt a surge of excitement as they dispatched. The possibility of death sharpened her senses as the group silently made their way to the target.  
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On the morning of the third day, Sakura awoke in her tent and dressed in the ANBU uniform, pretty impressed with herself. The mask was kind of silly in her opinion, but when she put it on she immediately felt more protected and confident. Her hair was pinned back with some sticks to keep it out of the way. She must have looked very different. She bet no one in Konoha would be able to recognize her like this.

_Too bad there's no mirror_. She thought as she turned her head both ways to get a good look at herself.

Still, she wasn't an ANBU jounin and if the enemy looked hard enough, he would be able to tell. There was no tattoo on her arm, and she wore two pouches on her waist instead of one to carry her emergency medical supplies.

The plan was to strike at night, however, so the enemy wouldn't be able to see. If everything went smoothly, he won't even sense the attack, much less Sakura.

She got out of the tent and gathered with the rest of her unit. It was a chilly day, and all of them wore their cloaks as they knelt by a fire. The ANBU captain stated that they would leave their things here until the mission was complete. If the enemy saw tents too close to the headquarters he would get suspicious.

"We had some people spying on him a few days ago. They noted that he is always in by 12 am. We'll place this heat sensor on the building to locate him, then take him by surprise in his room. He won't even know he got killed."

"What if he's not there?" a female ANBU asked.

"We intercepted a note about a meeting in the building. It will be done by 11, and he won't go out later at night," the captian answered.

"But what if--?" the female continued.

"Just pray that he's where we expect him to be. We'll never be exactly sure. If he's not there, then all plans are shot and we have to rely on our instincts," the captain interrupted.

He paused, and then started again, "Listen up. From now on, we have no faces, no names, no feelings. There should be only one thing on your mind and that's the mission. Any weakness in our teamwork will get us killed. There's no reason for senseless death- if we find ourselves overpowered we retreat. If you have any questions, ask now because from here on out we'll stop talking about mission details."

No one made a sound.

"Good," the captain. "Get ready to move forward in 10 minutes."

The shinobi picked themselves up and prepared to start their mission.


	3. Chapter 3

The task had been well-timed, and by 15 minutes to midnight, the shinobi were perched in trees waiting for the signal to strike. Sakura was kneeling next to the captain in the tree closest to the building.

He whispered to her, "Stay here and wait for us to come out. If we succeed, you'll tend to the injured in the grassy field we passed two minutes ago. If we're retreating, be prepared to carry bodies." He paused, "And if he follows us, you'll have to run."

Sakura nodded and gave a deep breath that smoked in the icy cold air. It began sprinkling. The trees smelled raw and fresh, and her skin looked blue against the moonlight.

The platoon waited. After a few minutes, which seemed like an eternity for Sakura, the light in the only illuminated room in the building shut off. The captain raised his right arm. In a flash, the five ANBU disappeared in the rain, their shadows moving swiftly toward their prey.

Sakura sat in silence. The rain was getting heavier. She was close to the building, so she'd be able to hear the screams as people were injured. This part wasn't fun; once she saw the extent of their injuries she could concentrate on healing, but right now she could only brace herself for the most gruesome infliction.

And suddenly, it began. Sakura heard the sound of metal clashing against metal, groans and cries. Fire and electricity were blinding in the midnight darkness. This persisted for a few minutes, and then there was the sound of broken glass.

_Are they done? Already? It can't be._ Sakura stood up to get a better view. She cursed the moonlight for not being strong enough. Luckily, just then a stroke of lightning swept through the sky. She noticed some cloaked figures now running across the lawn, closer to where she hid. Sakura squinted. Two of them were limping, obviously injured.

_Damn this is bad_, Sakura said to herself. Her heart started beating faster. Thunder rumbled.

There was a sixth shadow now, jumping out of the window and running toward the others. It was fast. He caught the two who were injured quickly and used what might have been strings to tie them against a thick tree. Then a massive fire emanating from the sixth shadow roared toward the two captured figures.

_That's it. It has to be it for them._ Sakura shook her head sadly. _There's no way I can heal that burn._

Clearly, this was a retreat situation. Sakura felt her heart pounding through her chest.

_I can't stay here._

She left her location and moved parallel to the direction of the three other escaping ANBU, jumping from branch to branch. The darkness made it difficult to see, and the trees were slick from the rain. A loose branch caught her arm and caused it to start bleeding.

Soon she caught up with one cloaked figure wearing an ANBU mask. He seemed to be breathing heavily but kept retreating.

Sakura called out to him, "Are you alright?"

"He's following us," the ANBU cried out. She could hear the trepidation in his voice.

"Use kage bushin, throw him off!" Sakura suggested as they ran.

"It's no use! Don't you know? He can see through it!"

Sakura's heart skipped a beat. _See through it?_ She couldn't think clearly.

"What about the others? Where are they?"

"The last two went the other direction. We stand better chances in pairs; alone, he'd finish us off easily."

Later, he shakily added, "You better pray he's not coming after us."

Sakura swallowed. She felt fear concentrate in the back of her throat and in the pit of her stomach.

_It has never been like this. _

After a few moments, Sakura noticed a long gash running down her partner's forearm up to his wrists. It was a deep wound and blood was spilling out at an alarming rate. Rain had made it run even more.

"You're bleeding!" She cried out. "If we don't take a look at that you'll die from blood loss."

The lightning struck again and the ANBU ninja grabbed his injured arm.

"There's no time," he replied.

"I just need to stop the bleeding and disinfect it for now, it will only take me a minute max," Sakura assured him.

The other ninja hesitated.

Sakura said, "Look, I don't hear him behind us or sense his chakra. He must have gone after the other group. He probably figured you'd die from this injury anyway."

The ANBU thought for awhile as they kept retreating and must have decided what she said made sense because he slowed down.

"Alright."

The two of them hopped down from the treetops. Sakura reached into her back pocket for a flashlight, some disinfectant, and some gauze.

"Hold this," she handed him the small flashlight that he held in his healthy arm.

"This is going to sting," she told him as she uncapped the disinfectant.

Suddenly she heard him give chilling scream as he began to collapse forward on top of her. He knocked the medicine out of her hand and dropped the flashlight, which went out when it hit the ground.

"What? Wait! I didn't pour it yet!" She tried supporting him under his shoulders.

His screaming continued, but Sakura heard a rustling sound in the darkness.

"Shut up! Did you hear that?" she yelled at her partner.

"He's...here...," the injured shinobi screamed out between moans of pain.

Sakura felt a shiver crawl up her spine.

"What did he do just now?" she asked him, still trying to support his weight.

"My foot...gah!!!! SAKURA-SAN!" the ANBU ninja cried.

Sakura flinched as her name echoed in the forest. He wasn't supposed to reveal her identity. But she understood now: the enemy had sliced the Achilles tendon. He was pretty smart- this injury was impossible to heal on the battlefield and rendered a ninja completely immobile.

Sakura tried to think of the best course of action. She was scared of course, but she also had to help this shinobi. Soon, his cries diminished and Sakura felt dead weight fall on top of her. It knocked her back to the wet ground.

The feeling of the leaves, rocks, and twigs on the forest floor seemed to solidify the reality of her situation. This mission was going so badly it had to be a dream, but the moment she hit the cold ground she knew it wasn't. A part of her wanted to give up and stay where she was- pressed against the ground- but she snapped out of it when she realized that her partner was probably only unconscious- not dead- and that he still needed her medical attention. It would be easier now that he wasn't screaming and flinching.

With some effort, Sakura rolled him off of her and knelt by his body. She reached behind her to grab something from her back pocket. But the minute she did, she felt a sharp, chilly object at her neck and heard a voice behind her that froze her up like ice.

"Don't move and don't scream or you'll die."


	4. Chapter 4

Sakura closed her eyes, raised her head up slowly and swallowed. She channeled all her strength not to scream or cry. From the sound of his voice he was only a body width behind her. She couldn't run.

_It seems like I can't keep that promise to you, Ino._

"Stand up." The voice was cold and firm.

Raising her hands slowly in surrender, Sakura obeyed.

_So this is the end..._

_But..._

She stiffened slightly.

_If I am a shinobi, I should die like one. I can't just give in..._

"What is your name?" The voice seemed eager to hear the answer, but it still sounded hard and empty.

The rain had lightened up somewhat. Sakura could hear the droplets fall against the leaves. An open patch of the forest was nearby where the moonlight shone through the canopy.

_Why does he want to know? He didn't ask for the other ninja's name before he sliced him._

She held her tongue and sensed the enemy's annoyance at her silence.

"If you don't answer me I'm going to kill you," he said with a hint of controlled impatience.

Still nothing. The kunai dug closer to her neck. She began to bleed a little. It hurt but she knew it was just the beginning. She felt the warm blood trickle down her cold skin.

Sakura prepared herself for the pain of death. She shut her eyes tightly, head tilted toward the sky, and tried to think of a happy memory.

_Naruto...Lee...take care of yourselves._

_Kakashi-sensei...it appears we're going to meet soon. You can tell me where I went wrong..._

Nothing happened.

"Damnit!" the enemy cursed. He grabbed her forcefully by the arm and threw her against the tree that was illuminated by the moonlight. Her body was flaccid, and she barely resisted. His kunai-less hand gripped her throat and lifted her up against the tree.

"Tell me your name. Now." He repeated. Though she was in the moonlight, his face was still in the shadow. Only most of his arm was visible.

Sakura's hands tugged on his as she involuntarily squeaked.

"If you're not going to answer...," the enemy said.

He tucked back the kunai and knocked off her hood with his free hand. He then roughly removed her mask. Sakura's hair pins dropped and her hair fell in her face. She must have looked frightful- her face pale from suffocation and rain, sweat, and dirt in her pink hair.

And then, the hand let go. Sakura slid to the ground, exhausted and hyperventilating. She didn't know why he let go, maybe he was saving her for later or using her as bait- who knew. Anyway, she didn't care. Sakura couldn't think at that moment- she could only breathe in the freezing cold air like it was life itself.

In the distance, she heard voices- the most beautiful voices she had ever heard. They belonged to the other two ANBU-nins for sure, and they were going to save her.

"Sakura!" Pause. "Sakura!"

"Sa-ku-ra!"

Sakura screamed between gasps, "Over h—"The last word was muffled by a hand that swiftly shot over her mouth.

Sakura's stifled cries grew louder, trying to call out to her teammates. She was sitting on the ground in the moonlight. If they came toward this way they'd see her for sure.

_Please hear me!_

"Shut up!" hissed the enemy. Sakura paid no attention and kept making muffled noises.

"SA-KU-RA!" yelled the ANBU again.

_They're so close! Oh god, please let them see me..._

"SA-KU-RA-SAN!"

The frustration of her platoon being so close yet incapable of hearing her was the last straw for Sakura. Tears welled up in her eyes and started falling in an uncontrollable stream down her face and over the back of her enemy's hand.

"SA-KU-RA!"

Sakura closed her eyes in despair, tears mingling with the rain.

A few seconds passed.

And then...

"Sakura."

It was barely audible, almost a whisper and uttered like a statement. There was a familiarity in the way her name was spoken.

Her eyes opened in surprise. They grew wider as the figure who held his hand over her mouth inched closer to her in the moonlight.

She saw his hair first- it was dark. Black or dark blue, or so it looked under the moonlight. It was dripping in the rain.

Sakura froze. His dark eyes met hers.

_I know those eyes..._


	5. Chapter 5

The hand removed itself from over her mouth. Their faces were close now.

"SA-KU-RA!" It was louder than before. If they got any closer they'd see her for sure.

Their voices broke the dream-like state she was in. The young man next to her furrowed his brow and looked sharply in the direction of the calls.

Sakura stared at his profile now, at a loss of words.

_Could it be?_

"Come with me," the young man said decisively. He helped her up by the shoulders and moved them out of the moonlight. He found a tree nearby that could hide both of them. Sakura speechlessly allowed herself to be hidden. One arm was around her protectively as he watched the ANBU nins walk closer to where they had just moments ago been.

_If I scream now they'll hear me._

Sakura opened her mouth ready to scream, but nothing came out. She had hesitated.

"Over here! Look at this." cried the ANBU nin to the ANBU captain.

"Her mask..." said the ANBU captain solemnly. He slowly knelt down to pick it up.

The ANBU shinobi shared a moment of silence as they hung their heads for a prayer.

One ANBU cleared his throat and began quietly, "We better report this to Hokage-sama. She won't be pleased."

_I'm not dead yet! I can go back to Konoha. Just one scream- they'll hear me. Just one._

Sakura opened her mouth again.

_Do it!_

"Next time we'll be prepared. We didn't know his Sharingan could still work so well in the dark."

Sakura felt like someone knocked the breath out of her body. Her mouth closed and she felt the pressure of her heart thumping hard. She looked at the chest of the man she was pressed against. Then she squinted her eyes, trying to get a better look at his serious face.

_Sharingan. So it wasn't just my imagination..._

"Alright, let's go bring the bodies of the others—"the ANBU tripped over something in the dark.

"Hey, what's this!?" he exclaimed as he reached into his back pocket for a flashlight.

"God," said the other as they shone the light on another unconscious comrade. Sakura realized she had entirely forgotten about her unconscious teammate.

"Okay, let's gather the three other bodies and bring them back home. Their families deserve some closure," the captain said.

"What about Sakura?"

"We'll send the hunter nins to look for her body later. It's too dangerous for us now in this weather and darkness. Let's hurry."

"Yes, sir," said the other ANBU as he dragged his comrade's arm over his shoulder and carried him.

The two ninjas nodded at each other and disappeared into the forest.

After a few moments, Sakura felt the body of the young man shift. He let her go and she stood up, now facing him. He had a good few inches over her in height, not like when they were kids.

"You didn't scream." His voice was still flat, but it was gentler than she remembered it.

"I wanted to...but I couldn't..." Sakura whispered. For some reason she felt tears starting to swell up in her eyes again.

She sniffed and her fingers brushed away the tears.

The young man hesitated. "Stop crying."

"I'm sorry," she sobbed harder, "Sasuke..."


	6. Chapter 6

He sighed, "Come on." He led her by the arm, "They might have planted a bomb in my house so we can't go back there. It'll probably explode sometime tonight."

As they walked, the only noise that broke the silence was the numbing sound of leaves crunching under their feet. The rain had lightened up even more, but their clothes were already soaked through.

After what seemed like a mile walk, they eventually reached a cabin of sorts. The moonlight was weak so Sakura couldn't see. Sasuke turned the knob on the door, which wasn't locked. Sakura followed.

He reached over to the upper right and removed something from its hook. A few squeaking hinge noises later, he told Sakura to stand back.

He lit the candle with a jutsu and hung the lantern back on its hook.

Sakura looked around at the surroundings. It was a modest place to say the least. There was wooden table that looked like it was on its last legs, some straw on the ground, and a fireplace, which Sasuke proceeded to light as well.

She stood uncomfortably idle as he knelt down to the floor and pulled up a latch. In a hole in the ground were a few blankets and pillows that he tossed out.

"You can change out of those wet clothes if you want." He only glanced at her as he said those words, throwing her one of the many blankets. Then he looked away and busied himself setting up their sleeping area.

Sakura caught it. She noticed a few things now. Sasuke wasn't wearing much- just a long sleeved shirt and some sweats with a holster for kunai. He probably slept with his weapons and getting ready to go to sleep when the attack began. She, on the other hand, was still ridiculously overdressed in the ANBU uniform.

She hugged the blankets he had thrown her way. They felt thick and soft. She could imagine them being warm.

Sakura blushed slightly as she began removing her peripheral ANBU armor and setting it on the rickety table. When she got to the actual clothing portion, she hesitated.

She looked at Sasuke, who had his back turned to her the entire time, still fussing with the bedding.

She was about to open her mouth to say something, but he beat her to it, "Go ahead, I'm not going to look."

Sakura swallowed and removed the rest of her soaked clothing. Then she hurriedly tied the blanket tightly under her arms.

"Okay..." she said softly, tucking her hair around her ear nervously. She sat on the edge of the bench of the table, carefully making sure the blanket covered her legs.

Sasuke started removing his clothes, too, with his back turned to her. He was quick, tossing the garments to the side.

_He's definitely not as shy as I am..._ Sakura noted. She caught herself staring and then turned her head away hurriedly.

He left his boxers on and threw a blanket over his shoulders. He finished setting up the blankets and pillows next to the fire.

Sasuke sat on his mat with his knees up and hands supporting his body behind his back, and studied Sakura on the bench for a moment.

"You going to sleep? It's late, and you have a big day tomorrow."

Sakura drew a blank. "What am I doing tomorrow?"

"Going home."

_Home._

"Uh, okay." Sakura stood up carefully, again making sure nothing that was covering her accidentally opened or slipped. She shuffled slowly to the empty space next to Sasuke's, which was closer to the fire.

He started snuggling into the covers. He moved onto his side, his face facing Sakura's mat and the fire, and closed his eyes before she sat down.

Sakura, with one hand over her chest and one on her lower stomach, knelt down and tried to nudge herself into the covers as best she could.

She turned herself to face Sasuke, really studying him for the first time. There were features she recognized- the shape of the eyes, the way his hair fell, and his stern mouth. But his cheeks were thinner now, his jaw more pronounced. His voice was a deeper, but not by much. It still had that crazy ring to it. It was a voice that sat on border of sanity- and drove her to the border of sanity as well.

She found herself wanting to trace the lines on his face.

"_Sasuke-kun!!! It's not an illusion this time, is it?"_ An image of young Sasuke's body penetrated by Haku's flying needles overtook her mind. She remembered the pain of the loss. It had felt like her stomach had been ripped out and thrown against the ground.

Sakura shook the memory out of her head. No, this wasn't that Sasuke. This Sasuke, she reminded herself, was the S-class criminal. A man who could murder and pillage without a conscience. Suddenly Sakura felt she ought to be more careful.

_What am I doing with him?_

Sakura turned on her back and stared at the ceiling. She tried to summon more fear about her current situation, but couldn't. Truth was, if he had wanted to kill her, he would have done so already.

After all these years, she still trusted him.

"Sasuke," she said, "are you sleeping?"

His eyes remained closed, "What is it?"

Pause.

"If you want to reminisce about old times, I'm not playing that game."

She turned on her side again to face him.

"I..." It was easier to say when his eyes couldn't see her.

"I missed you." Sakura looked away.


	7. Chapter 7

It was an earnest statement, and it caught Sasuke off-guard. He opened his eyes and saw her averted gaze.

He appeared confused, "Why?"

Sakura looked at him again, the fire crackling and creating dancing shadows on his face.

"I don't know." She smiled. She realized then she hadn't smiled in a long time, "I guess I'm kind of foolish." Sakura turned around to face the ceiling again and laughed as she raised her right arm to rubbed her forehead. Her own laughter sounded strange against the crackling fire and soft rain falling on the roof. She cupped her own cheek.

"You should try harder to forget about me," Sasuke said firmly, not moving from his original position.

"Did you forget about _me_?" she asked softly.

Silence.

_Hmm...maybe that was too much._

"I guess a strong shinobi like you cannot let emotions get in the way, right?" She gave him a sideways glance.

"Right," he replied. Only this time he didn't sound so sure of himself. Sasuke shifted uncomfortably. He closed his eyes again.

After some time, Sakura's voice penetrated the silence again.

"Will I ever see you again, Sasuke?"

"..."I can't exactly go back to Konoha."

Sakura looked desperately at him, her face was filled with empathy and wonder. She shook her head in disbelief.

She hesitated, but eventually whispered, "Sasuke...what...what have you done?"

He opened his eyes slowly. They looked tired, like they've seen too much, and made his face seem older than it was.

"You don't want to know."

Sakura leaned in closer to him and reached for his shoulder, curiosity getting the better of her. "I _do_..."

Sasuke grew angry and tossed her hand away. He turned around so his back faced her.

"We live in different worlds, Sakura, so stop pretending that you know anything about me."

"But I _want_—"

Her hand was on his upper arm again.

"Sasuke, please..."

Sasuke grew impatient, threw off the covers, and sat up suddenly.

"You really want to know? Okay here it is. Once a businessman that hired me for an assassination mission couldn't pay fee once the job was done. I thought he was lying so do you know what I did? I tied him to a tree with chakra strings and slowly and painfully made the chakra strings constrict his body."

Sakura sat up and her eyes grew wide with disbelief and horror as Sasuke continued maliciously, "He was begging for mercy which annoyed me so I gagged him and broke both his legs. I could see the blood starting to ooze out of the lines I carved on his body. He was crying, but I kept going. I threatened to kill his family if he didn't pay. I told him I'd slowly slice up their bodies one by one, piece by piece, until they died. He looked so pathetic it made me laugh. At that point I figured, heck, might as well end it now so I---"

"STOP, STOP, **STOP**!" Sakura screamed as she covered her ears. She sobbed, turned away from him and said, more softly, "Stop..."

Sasuke's voice dropped as he sat looking at her screwed up face.

Realizing that was probably too harsh, he softened slightly. For a minute or so he searched for the right thing to say.

"Look," he said, awkwardly putting both hands on her shoulders.

"I'm sorry, okay? I didn't mean to..."

No response, but Sakura dropped her hands from her ears.

"Well...it's better for both of us if you hate me."

Still crying.

"Sakura," he began uncomfortably, "aren't there any other boys in Konoha that you've felt something for? Don't tell me all these years..."

Sakura wiped her face. Her eyes were puffy and her nose was red when she lifted her head up but refused to look at him. She was resting one elbow on her knee, biting a fingernail. Sasuke noted that she looked utterly miserable.

He let go of her and smiled slightly, "you're a real mess, you know?"

Sakura sniffed and sighed. She seemed annoyed at her own emotional fragility and somewhat determined to regain her composure.

Sasuke took this as a good sign and said, "Let's get some sleep, okay? I'm tired, and you must be too."

He learned back down and covered himself with the blankets again, lying on his back.

Sakura sat for awhile longer, staring at the hypnotic shapes in the fire. Seven years, and now he just wanted to sleep? There were so many things she had to ask him.

_But..._

Sakura yawned, her eyelids felt heavy. The warmth of the fire was starting to burn against her face.

She broke the settling silence, "Sasuke- the fire is too hot."

"Come over to my other side," he muttered.

Sakura moved her mat, pillow, and blankets to the other side of Sasuke and arranged them properly. She also gave the blanket covering her body a healthy tug.

She crept in between the sheets, back towards him. She shivered.

_Damn, bad decision. Who knew it would be that big a difference?_

She curled up slightly. "Now I'm cold," she whispered.

Sasuke, who was tired of talking, sighed and rolled on his side towards her and slung an arm around her waist. She could feel the warmth of his chest on her back, his nose and breath against her neck. Her pulse quickened for a few minutes, but soon she felt overcome with exhaustion. The events of the day had indeed worn her out and the makeshift bed was surprisingly comfortable. Sakura laced her fingers over his and drew his left arm tighter around her.

Who knew what would happen tomorrow, but today- right now- things felt right.

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A/N: just barfed it out in 1 day, it kind of took a life of its own. Wanted to make LeeSaku a bigger deal but couldn't. Wanted to make Sakura hate Sasuke but couldn't.

Hope this fic wasn't angsty or OOC. Maybe I made Sasuke too nice- but I like to think he's a different person around Sakura. Sorry I have no sense for chapter divisions.

I didn't want to make Sakura jounin (let's be realistic) so she's a chuunin. Let's all assume chuunins can be medically trained.

Sorry to all Kakashi fans! I killed him off! I love Kakashi myself but I think he would be problematic in this fic.

I can't write battle scenes- lo siento.


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer (because I forgot to say it in chapter 1): I don't own Naruto!

Honestly, I only have the next 3 chapters written. I'm still trying to think of the best way things should happen without it being too AU and unbelievable.

Dilemma: I kind want to post all at once so everyone can read it continuously. When I read fics, I always forget what happened before when updates lag. However, it'd be cool to slow it down so I can get more readers and reviews!

Anyway, thanks for reading. I hope you enjoy it!  
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Sakura stirred. She was on her back, on the floor...somewhere. With her eyes still closed, she felt the ground with her hand.

_Dirt...straw..._

It was cold.

She tried to turn on her stomach but was suddenly aware of the weight on her chest. Surprised, she opened her eyes, which immediately fell on the dark blue hair of Sasuke, sleeping peacefully.

_Sasuke..._

The events of the previous day came rushing back to her. First a disastrous ambush attempt, then an expectation of death, and finally a surprise meeting with her old teammate.

They had shifted during the night, and somehow he had settled on face down, covering part of her left side. Her heart beat faster when she realized where his face was rested. She felt his right leg too, in between the two of hers hers.

_Good thing my blanket didn't slip off in the middle of the night. _

She wanted to move but was afraid to wake him.

_Well, it's not that uncomfortable_..._at least both my hands are free._

Sakura sighed and unconsciously started lightly running her fingers through Sasuke's hair, eventually moving down to stroke the back of his neck.

Sakura removed her hands momentarily, rubbed her eyes, and yawned. The movement of her chest must have woken Sasuke because he shifted slightly and slowly turned his body away from her and groaned. His brow was furrowed as if to say it was too early to get up.

He put both palms to his face, rubbing it for a few seconds.

"Hey, I'm cold," Sakura said. As he had withdrawn his weight from her, he had also taken the blankets with him.

Before she could react, there was a blur and the next thing Sakura saw was Sasuke on top of her with sharp eyes and even shaper kunai at her neck. One hand was near her head, supporting his weight as he leaned forward. His knees were bent and straddled her hips.

Sakura's eyes betrayed her shock and confusion. She could sense his intent to kill, and it was crippling. Her chest heaved up and down as she took deep breaths.

"Ss...Sasuke..."

Sasuke's serious face suddenly relaxed as he dropped his kunai next to her.

"Oh...it's you."

He removed himself from his position and sat down beside her.

Sakura put a palm on her head and the other hand over her chest. She was still breathing hard.

He looked at her and said apologetically, "Sorry, I forgot."

_If waking up with Sasuke was like this, I shouldn't have looked forward to it for so many years..._

Sakura kept her gaze on the ceiling, still recovering as her heart beat gradually slowed down. Then she heard him move closer to her.

His face partially blocked out the ceiling in her view.

"You okay?" He asked, slightly concerned.

She tried to smile reassuringly, "Yeah."

He seemed satisfied as his face left her view again. There was the rustling of bedding as he stood up.

"You should get up. Once I start folding these things there's going to be a lot of dirt in the air."

Sakura sat up.

"I'll help you."

_Damn, I shouldn't said that. I can barely move in this stupid thing._

She noticed the blanket covering her had loosened a bit, though nothing disastrous was showing. Slightly embarrassed, she turned around and rewrapped herself.

"We'll go to my place, and I'll give you a change of clothes for the road."

She turned to him again, surprised.

_How does he always know what's on my mind?_

His gaze traveled from her face to the blanket around her body and back again. Something about the way he looked at her made her cheeks burn.

Sakura cleared her throat uncomfortably, "It's okay, I think my uniform is dry."

She stood up slowly and checked the pieces of her ANBU uniform on the table. It had definitely taken a beating during the mission.

"You can't wear that, Sakura. Not without your mask," Sasuke said simply as he finished folding the blankets and moved to return them to their storage place.

_Argh, he was right again_.

"I'll just wear it on the way to your place," she replied after some time, congratulating herself for a good save.

She sat silently watching him as he secured the latch.

"Fine. Tell me when you're done." Sasuke turned his back to her and proceeded to slip on his own clothes from yesterday that still looked damp.

Sakura quickly removed her blanket, feeling the sudden chill of the air on her exposed body.

_Just the shirt and pants will do_, she thought as she put them on as fast as possible. They weren't totally dry and she shivered.

"I'm done."

"Alright, take your stuff and come with me," he said as he walked toward the door, adding, "You can keep the blanket."

Sakura wrapped the rest of her uniform and cloak in the blanket and followed Sasuke out of the cabin.

The forest looked different in the morning. For one thing, she could actually see where she was going, which made it a lot less threatening. There was the same distinct, earthy smell as last night and and she could still see her breath as she exhaled into the chilly air. She admired the glistening foliage, covered in last night's rain, shining in the sun.

Her eyes eventually fell on the figure in front of her. He was a good ways ahead. She ran to catch up with him.

"What is it?" he asked as she appeared next to him.

Sakura was in a good mood. The cold air in her lungs awoke and refreshed her spirits. She smiled brightly as she clutched her belongings to her chest and said honestly, "I wanted to walk next to you."

She tried to read his face for a reaction but he didn't flinch, keeping his gaze forward.

A few minutes later, Sakura grew increasingly frustrated with his silence. Even last night, they had not talked very much. She felt like she had seven years worth of words to say, but he seemed not the least bit curious about what events had passed while he was absent.

_Naruto...Lee...Ino..._

_And...Kakashi-sensei—did he even know?_

Sakura frowned, _Would he care?_

She bit her lip as they passed through the forest at a brisk pace.


	9. Chapter 9

The building the ANBU had attempted to invade last night finally came into view. It looked odd against the forest backdrop. Plants crept up the side of the walls making it appear as if the earth wanted to swallow the building underneath.

"Good. It's not burned down." Sasuke said.

If he was happy, Sakura couldn't tell.

He led her past the fence, across the lawn, and to a side door of the building. A combination lock later, Sasuke opened a door to a narrow stairway. After four flights of stairs, he walked in the hallway, down the corridor, to a room on the right.

His room was more furnished than the cabin, but not by much. There was a small bed this time, a dresser, a mirror- it was cracked. Sasuke walked in casually and sat on the bed.

Sakura realized this was the room that the attack had taken place. She quickly scanned the dirtied white floor and walls. Sure enough, there were blood, burned surfaces, fallen weapons, and near the window, broken glass. She shuddered involuntarily.

Sasuke sensed her discomfort, and said, "The only bathroom is in my room."

"You'll feel better after a shower," he added, as he got off the bed, and reached into the drawer for some extra clothes.

"Here's an old shirt of mine, and some pants."

Sakura silently made her way across the room, trying not to step on any of the debris. She couldn't help but stare at the puddles of blood. Suddenly, she felt sorry for her ANBU teammates assigned to the task. She selfishly had not thought of them this whole time.

_Wait..._

She paused, "You weren't hurt yesterday...were you?"

Sasuke was silent for a moment.

"Not badly, no," was his casual response.

Sakura walked over to where he stood by the dresser, setting her belongings aside.

"Let me take a look," she extended her hands out to him.

"Sakura..."

"Come on, where is it?" she insisted.

"Nowhere, okay? I'm not hurt. Go take a shower."

"Sasuke, if—"

"Sakura! Will you please go!" he shoved the clothes in her direction.

Sakura swallowed and stiffened, and after a pause snatched the clothes and started heading for the bathroom.

Sasuke sat on his bed with his back supported by the headboard. He heard the water turn on and sighed. She sure was annoying, he said to himself.

His attention turned to his arm, just above his elbow. He rolled his sleeves up to examine a small dark spot of dried blood. It had been a flying needle. Still, it was nothing he couldn't handle. The location of the wound bothered him a bit, but no ANBU needles, even poisoned ones, have ever worked on him before. He'll just open the wound when Sakura left. Surely this time it wouldn't be any different.

The water stopped. A few minutes later, he saw her come out wearing his old clothes. They were big and fit her poorly, but her face was clean and her wet hair was relieved of the dirt and leaves that had tangled it before.

Sasuke walked toward her on his way to the bathroom. Her face was calm and serious. He felt he probably shouldn't have yelled at her for her concern awhile ago.

"Once I'm done, we'll leave," he said quietly.

Sakura didn't look at him.

Sasuke paused next to her, hesitating. He ran a hand down her arm, and stopped at her hand, supporting it gently for a moment before letting it go. It was a simple gesture, but Sakura knew it was his way of apologizing.

As he left to take a shower, she proceeded to sit on the edge of the bed.

When he finished, he walked over to where she placed herself, his towel over his wet hair. Sakura could feel the heat emanating from his clean body. He threw the towel to the side.

"Let's go."

Sakura got up reluctantly- the shower had relaxed her tensed muscles and made her sleepy again.

She took her things and they exited the building. Sasuke paused when they passed the fence that marked the end of the grassy lawn.

"Alright," he started. "The fastest way out of here is to move northwest through the forest." He raised his arm and pointed in the direction he spoke of, dark eyes squinting in the sun.

"You'll pass another grassy field in about two minutes. That will tell you you're going the right way."

"Keep going until you hit the river. Follow it for two full days. Then you'll be at the outskirts of Konoha."

He looked back at her for a sign that she understood. Sakura was still clutching her things, hair wet and soaking dark pools of water on her shirt. She had not listened to what he was saying and concentrated instead on the feeling of dismay regarding her imminent journey.

_It's too soon...This can't be it...I'm not ready to leave._

"Sakura," he asked, "did you hear what I said?"

_I need more time with him..._

She looked at him suddenly and blurted out, "I might get lost."

"You won't."

"I might."

Pause.

"Come with me," she said.

Sasuke didn't respond.

Sakura forced herself to add, "Just until we reach the outskirts. You don't have to go in the village."

Sasuke thought for a moment. It was true, there may be dangers she'd encounter along the way. Plus he doubted she knew how to efficiently hunt for food.

After some time, he conceded, "Fine. Let me get some things."


	10. Chapter 10

For the next couple of days, Sakura tried not to think about Sasuke's inevitable departure once they reached their destination. The idea of him leaving her made her feel sick to her stomach. Instead, she wanted to enjoy the time she had bought for herself.  
  
During their journey, Sasuke still didn't talk much, but Sakura minded less and less. She found that his reticence made the quiet moments they shared more meaningful. There was even evidence of him growing comfortable with her presence. Though he still never spoke about past or present events, Sakura noticed that he no longer pushed her away when she touched him.

Sakura's favorite part was at night when she had an excuse to wrap her arms around him. They would lie next to each other silently, piling both their blankets on top of their bodies to keep warm. Whether he meant to or not, Sasuke always dozed off first, pressed against some soft curve of hers. Sakura didn't mind; he felt pleasantly warm in contrast to the cold air. She'd stare at the stars until she felt her eyelids getting heavy. Finally, she'd fall asleep with a smile, satisfied with way their bodies fit together.

This persisted for far too short a time for Sakura. There was a heavy solemnity in the air throughout the third day. Sakura could no longer ignore the fact that by nightfall, she would be back in Konoha without Sasuke. Though she had been at home just a few days ago, it seemed like a month had passed. The apartment, the chuunin lounge, the memorial, Hokage-sama, Naruto, Lee, Ino...they all seemed like a distant memory.

_This with Sasuke...this...feels normal.  
_

-----  
As they neared the destination, Sakura wanted to slow down, but Sasuke was anxious to get there. Finally, they reached the edge of a small cliff overlooking the main city of Konoha. The multicolored lights spotted the darkness and they could hear the murmur of the night life below.

Sasuke and Sakura stood a few feet apart, looking in different directions. Sasuke seemed disturbed, being so close to his former home. To Sakura, this place seemed trivial now compared to the man next to her.

"I can't go any farther," he said plainly.

Sakura felt her body sink slightly into the ground and shifted. Crickets were chirping in the bushes. Sasuke sensed her disappointment, but his mind was made up. To some, Konoha was a peaceful haven, safely removed from the rest of the world; but to Sasuke, it was a stifling cage for those like himself who felt the need to seek power.

Besides this fact, he also faced the possibility of death if he showed his face again in his old home. This fate was sealed the moment he scratched a line through his forehead protector and tossed away his identification tag. Sasuke was an S-class criminal now—a traitor to the Leaf. Though he was a skilled jounin-level ninja who could probably single-handedly destroy smaller cities, he knew Konoha had many proficient soldiers who were willing to give their life to end his.

He felt a chill as he strove to push away thoughts about his childhood days. This is where those memories lived. Academy, team 7, and...that incident—the incident that pushed him down this path and gave him his one single ambition. They all began and ended here.

Sasuke's attention turned to Sakura, who was silent.

Her hair was purple in the moonlight, and she was staring out into space.

This was their last conversation. Sasuke felt he had to end whatever issues they had now. He knew what was on her mind.

His voice was the first to penetrate the heavy stillness. "Sakura...what you want...it's impossible."

Sakura turned to face him, snapping out of her trance.

She asked softly, "Why does it have to be this way?"

Silence.

Sasuke didn't respond. His gaze was fixed on some invisible spot in the darkness.

"If I had more to offer you back then, you might not have gone...." she apologized in a soft voice.

The complete sincerity in her voice made him uneasy. He didn't like taking about their past.

"It had nothing to do with you," he said flatly.

His detached tone was too much for her. Sakura tried to control the swell of emotions, but she felt as if she would explode with frustration.

"I can only give you everything I have, every part of me, but it's never enough for you..." she replied shakily. Her vision blurred.

Sasuke avoided her gaze and did not answer.

Sakura couldn't stand it anymore. She declared in a desperate tone, "I need you, Sasuke! Can't you see I need you...so bad...it hurts!"

Her body relaxed slightly after the convulsion—it seemed relieved by releasing the confession that had been weighing on her mind since their first encounter. She had gone out and said it, and now her feelings were out in the open.

Slowly, she took a step forward, closing the gap between their bodies. She took one of his hands in both of hers and raised them to her chest.

She lifted her gaze and caught his eyes.

"Stay with me," She whispered. The phrase was honest and thrilling in its vulnerability.

Sasuke looked at her. His hand could feel her heart throbbing.

"Please. I'm begging you."

Silence.

"There's no way I can lose you again."

His eyes fell from hers. "Sakura...I can't."

"Then take me with you."

Sasuke found it hard to speak in his most practical voice. "You can't give up everything you've worked for."

She didn't back down. "I can and I will."

He felt a wave of annoyance crash over his body. "Why?" he asked desperately, searching her face for the answer.

Sakura didn't hesitate. "Because it's worth it."

The words seemed to awaken his full anger. The more he thought about it, the less sense it all made. Sasuke broke away suddenly and backed up, removing his hand forcefully from her grasp.

"No, Sakura, you don't get it!" He laughed in disbelief of her stubborn foolishness. "It's NOT worth it. I'M not worth it! A lot has happened in these seven years. Do you even know who I am? How can you give up everything for a stranger, much less an S-class criminal?"

His palms were turned up in exasperation.

"Sasuke..." Sakura was stunned by his sudden change.

"I can't believe you! If you would listen to me, I could give you a hundred reasons why I'm exactly what you DON'T need! Since I left, I haven't cared about anyone but myself and it's not about to change!" Sasuke stopped and sighed in frustration. "I should never have...I can't believe I actually tried to...and we..."

He paused and turned away, rubbing his neck with one hand.

"I wish we never met," he finally declared in a low voice.

Sakura swore that the slight breeze that blew just then passed right through her body. The words were unmistakable, and Sakura felt them reverberate in her core.

"You don't mean it," she whispered with wide eyes, trying to convince herself.

His voice was honest. "I do, now more than ever."

Sakura shook her head in denial. Her eyes closed and she felt them burn as tears started forming behind her lids.

_No..._

He continued more quietly, "Do yourself a favor, and forget about me."

She heard the rustling of clothing and opened her eyes again. Her vision was blurry, but she could make out Sasuke bent down, securing the kunai holster on his right leg. He was getting ready to leave.

_He can't leave...not like this..._

After Sasuke finished adjusting his weapons, he rose to face her for the last time. Their bodies were close, but Sakura felt that the familiarity between them that had grown so much in the last few days had suddenly died. The person who stood before her was indeed a stranger and she felt as if an infinite distance separated her from the Sasuke she thought she had known.

Sakura had nothing to say. Anything that came out of her mouth now would be a futile, naive statement.

His eyes were sharp and empty, but Sakura forced herself to meet his gaze for the final time.

"I'm leaving now. If you follow me and I see you again I swear...," Sasuke spoke coldly.

"...I'll kill you."

His tone was serious and controlled.

_He means it..._

Sasuke backed up a few steps and paused, as if testing her to see if she'd follow.

Sakura felt paralyzed and remained where she stood.

"Good," Sasuke said, satisfied that she finally stopped her protests. He then turned around and disappeared quickly into the darkness.

As he fled, the reality of what just passed sunk in and Sakura was overcome with a sense of finality. In the back of her mind, she wanted to believe she could change him. But now he was gone and she was alone. She never imagined it would end this way.

Sakura suddenly felt the darkness and silence suffocating her. Her body was heavy and she soon gave in to the pressure. Bending her knees, she collapsed to a sitting position with her legs tucked at her side, her palms supporting her weight on the cold rock.

_Sasuke..._


	11. Chapter 11

Sakura sat motionless on the damp ground for what must have been a few hours. The chill of the late night eventually forced her to retire from her position on top of the hill and make her way down to the village.

The streets were darker now; many of the shops had closed. A few people still walked along the streets; Sakura even recognized some of her fellow shinobi who, lucky for her, appeared to be a bit inebriated. She had no desire to explain herself tonight so she kept her path in the shadows and out of the street lights, walking swiftly toward her apartment.

On her way there, she noticed a familiar building and looked up instinctively to the room she had gotten used to visiting. The light was on. Sakura's heart jumped painfully.

_He's back..._

She debated whether to go see him at a time like this. He might notice something was wrong and coax the truth behind her delay out of her. But the pain her chest begged her to seek comfort. Sasuke had left her feeling empty and alone; what she needed now was the warm embrace of an unconditional friend.

Without thinking it carefully through, Sakura instinctively ran toward the building, swung the doors open, and climbed up the stairs at a furious pace.

She didn't pause until she got to his door, knuckles raised to knock.

_What am I doing? He probably thinks I'm dead..._ She asked herself, but the hollow feeling inside of her was the answer.

After knocking quickly and lightly on the door, she waited breathlessly. There was no response.

Another knock, more insistent this time.

_Damnit, open the door. I know you're in there._

Exasperated, Sakura tried to turn the door knob. Surprisingly, it wasn't locked. Sakura paused, but eventually let herself in slowly, making a mental note to scold him for his indiscretion later. She locked the door behind her.

The apartment was dark now.

_He must have turned off the lights..._

"Naruto," she whispered, looking around for any trace of the noisy ninja.

Luckily, the place was well-known to her so she could make her way through in the dark. Suddenly she tripped over a box in the living room, which spilled packages of cup ramen to the floor. Annoyed, she kicked the box to one side and proceeded toward the bedroom.

The door was ajar and Sakura pushed it lightly open.

Her eyes fell on Naruto, who was lying in his bed with his back facing her. He had turned out the lights and gone to sleep. Sakura's stomach dropped; she had wanted him to be awake, even just to hear his voice...

With a soft sigh she turned to leave and brought the door back quietly behind her. Then she paused, hand still on the knob. The aching in her body had gotten no relief.

Before she could fully comprehend what she was doing, Sakura quickly opened the door again and slipped off her shoes by the entrance.

With light steps she moved to the bed where he lay and drew back the comforter. Sakura eased herself in carefully so as not to wake him. Naruto's body had been there for some time, so the bed was warm for her.

Her eyes turned to the sleeping figure. His blonde hair was sticking up every which way and his tan skin appeared especially dark against the white of his t-shirt.

Sakura raised herself up to a sitting position to get a good look at him, checking instinctively for wounds. Whenever he came home, that would always be the first thing she'd do.

She found the first one under his closed eye. It was a cut, only a small one so she wasn't worried. Still, she traced it with her thumb lightly.

Under her touch, Naruto shifted and now lay on his back.

Sakura proceeded to study his arm. It wasn't too easy to see in the moonlight but...

Suddenly she heard someone call her name.

"Sakura-chan??"

Her gaze shot to the source of the voice. She smiled back at him, slightly embarrassed. Naruto was squinting in the dark, trying to get a good look at the person kneeling at his left side.

"Is that you?" he asked again, rubbing his eyes.

"Shhh...yes," she hushed as she leaned back and slid herself back into the covers.

She lay on her side, with her pink hair splayed against the pillow. Naruto turned to face her.

"Old lady Tsunade told me you went missing after your last mission." Sakura heard his voice crack involuntarily as he said these words.

"That's what the ANBU nins thought," Sakura whispered, still keeping her voice down so no one would hear them. She forced a smile to relax his concerned expression. She added, "Anyway, I'm okay now. I just wanted to see you."

"I was worried, Sakura-chan," Naruto said honestly, with a hint of sadness.

Sakura was taken aback by his openness, but then reminded herself this was Naruto—not Sasuke.

_Sasuke..._

Sakura shivered suddenly at the thought of him. She wondered to herself where he must be now...on his way back? On another mission? With a pang of jealousy, she tried not to think about any one else being in his company.

Naruto noticed her blank expression and knew that she was not totally with him. Her eyes were locked to his, but her gaze was empty.

"Sakura-chan, are you okay? What happened? Is there anything you want to talk about?" His calloused hand reached up to her shoulder where it gave her a gentle shake.

Sakura suddenly recoiled away from his touch.

"Sakura, what's wrong?"

Sure, when they were young genin, Sakura would not just shy away from him, she'd outright reject him and threaten pain if he touched her. However, time had passed since then and Naruto couldn't understand why she drew back, especially when it was she who came to him.

Sakura couldn't describe it. His skin felt foreign and she only knew of one reason why. It was because it was Naruto's hand, and for the past few days she had unconsciously grown accustomed to the touch only one man. It was as if he was all her body accepted.

"Sakura..." Naruto repeated as he withdrew his hand.

She fell out of her trance and remembered why she was here: not to think about Sasuke, but to get used to his absence and regain her composure by spending time with the people whose company she enjoyed. And who actually cared about her...

"Sorry, Naruto," she whispered with a slight laugh. "I don't know what came over me."

She reached up and rubbed the markings on his cheek playfully to assure him that she was alright.

Then she said, "I'm really tired now. Let's get some rest okay?"

"You have to tell me about your mission!" Naruto said, sitting up abruptly. "You can't just come in here all weirded out and expect me to just let it go!"

Sakura's head was still on the pillow as she paused and looked up at him.

Naruto continued, "Well? Come on! I'm waiting!" He folded his arms stubbornly.

It was tempting to spill out the story right then, recount every detail of the mission and her encounter with Sasuke, but something kept her from doing so. Maybe she didn't trust her instincts tonight and thought that tomorrow when her head had cleared, she'd regret it.

"I can't, Naruto! It's an ANBU mission. Those are top secret!" She hissed at him.

Naruto narrowed his eyes at her distrustfully, but he knew that was a good excuse.

"Fine," he sulked. "But you have to tell me at least something. Give me a hint about the task."

"Naruto!"

"One hint."

"No!"

"Come on! No one will know!"

"It's not that..." Sakura trailed off.

"What is it then?"

Sakura hesitated before turning around so her face was hidden from view. "There's nothing much to say. It was a standard task. But...I was afraid...that's all."

"That bad, huh?" Naruto asked, giving her a testing tap on the shoulder to see if she'd flinch again.

Sakura laughed genuinely and turned around.

"It's okay, I'm not going to bite." She lifted her body up slightly to support her head with her elbow. She smiled and said, "I just need a hug, okay?"

Naruto faced turned into a grin and he said, "That I can do." He sunk down into the covers again and threw his arms around Sakura tightly, almost constricting her body. Sakura suddenly found it hard to breathe and she hit him repeatedly on the back. Naruto let go momentarily.

"I didn't tell you to suffocate me!" she gasped.

Naruto smiled sheepishly, saying, "Sorry, Sakura-chan! I guess I got a little excited."

Sakura sighed as Naruto lay on his back again, next to her. After some time, she nudged in close under his arm, resting close to his chest, and closed her eyes. Naruto sensed her position and put his arm around her.

It wasn't quite the same as with Sasuke. Sakura qualitatively measured their height against each other- Naruto was taller than him now. Also, Naruto smelled different.

_It must be the miso ramen..._

And, of course, Sakura's spine didn't get a pleasurable chill when their bodies lay close to each other. Going to sleep with Naruto was comfortable, but different. Very different.

She felt him stir under her weight, saying in a clear voice, "By the way, whose clothes are those?"

Sakura's heart skipped a beat.

"Nobody important."


	12. Chapter 12

Sakura's closed eyes gave a twitch. They opened a little and instantly shut again as they met the blinding sunlight of a Konoha morning.

She gave a groan and turned on her stomach, burying her face into the pillow. Just as she was dozing off again, she heard a bright voice that gave her a start.

"Sakura-chan, Sakura-chan!! Look what I have for you!"

She turned back around to see Naruto similing from ear to ear and holding a breakfast tray. His hair was in a crazier mess than yesterday, and she noticed he had slept in undershirt and his favorite green boxers.

"Ramen for breakfast...in bed! Does it get any better?" He could barely contain his excitement.

Sakura laughed good-naturedly and propped herself up to a sitting position.

"Ramen...for breakfast?" she sounded skeptical and raised an eyebrow at him.

"Hey what's wrong with that?" Naruto asked defensively as he set the table over her lap. His ID tag swung slightly from his neck as he bent over. On the tray there was a steaming hot cup ramen with a glass of orange juice and a small flower in a vase.

Naruto stepped back and admired his work. He looked satisfied and continued, "If a woman did this for me everyday, I'd think I died and gone to heaven. I swear I'd marry her."

Sakura teased meaningfully, "Don't tell _me_ that, tell Hinata."

He shot a cautionary look at her, "That wasn't funny." He rumpled his hair with his hand nervously.

Sakura shrugged with an innocent smile and then concentrated on the food in front of her. It did smell good, and she was very hungry. She realized with her first bite that she hadn't eaten in a long time. Her pace quickened as started shoving the food in her mouth.

"Whoa, slow down there, no need to inhale it." Naruto grinned, watching her with delight.

"Shut up, I'm hungry," Sakura said with her mouth full. "Are you just going to stare at me while I eat?" she asked after swallowing a few more bites.

Naruto scratched his head and said, "Come to think of it I need to take a shower. Maybe after you finish we can swing by your place so you can get take one too and get dressed..." He raised his eyebrows. "...in your own clothes."

Sakura avoided his gaze.

Naruto folded his arms and said, "Come on, Sakura. Spill it, where did you get that t-shirt and pants? They look like they belong to a _man_, and I know they're not mine."

She didn't like the suggestive tone of his voice. Sakura had to make up some excuse. "I found them," she said, then added truthfully, "I lost the ANBU mask, and I couldn't wear the uniform without my mask."

Naruto eyed her suspiciously, but her defense was logical enough.

"Whatever," he said as he turned and started to grab clothes out of his dresser. "I'll find out one way or the other."

Sakura kept silent. There was no way he would without her telling him.

"Try not to choke while I'm gone, okay?" he joked as he turned out of the room and into the bathroom.

Sakura took a deep breath and braced herself for the day ahead. She was successful in avoiding Naruto's prodding questions, but could she keep it up and fool everyone else?

She knew she would face as much scrutiny from others as she did from Naruto, perhaps even more. For one, Tsunade-sama would want her to see her first thing in the morning with an explanation. Sakura groaned. That was going to be an ordeal in and of itself. She had never lied to the Hokage before.

The long, relaxing shower Sakura took at her own apartment seemed to calm her nerves. She scrubbed away the events of the last few days and watched them flow down the drain. The cleanliness seemed to give her a new confidence. She felt in a better position to meet everyone's surprise when she revealed she was neither dead nor missing, but alive and safely back in Konoha.

After dressing in her own shirt and pants, she was about to throw the dirty clothes in the hamper out of habit until she realized who they belonged to. She held on to them for a minute.

_Sasuke..._

This was all she had left of him. She recalled the last time she had taken a satisfying shower—it was at his place in the forest. In her mind she saw him sitting on the bed in that dingy room, then standing up and moving towards her. Closing her eyes, Sakura remembered the breathtaking touch of his hand on hers. Time had stood still then.

Sakura sighed and clutched the clothes close to her body for a moment before gathering her composure and opening the bathroom door.

There was a man sitting on her bed. He stood up and moved toward her. She saw his big, blue eyes and rumpled blonde hair that was a little neater now.

_Naruto.  
_

_----------  
_

"Use an illusion to hide yourself," Naruto recommended as they prepared to visit the Hokage. "We have to see her first or she'll get pissed."

"Right," Sakura said as she opened the door to her apartment. As soon as her eyes recovered from the glare of the sun, she performed a series of seals and her body appeared to disappear in the air.

"I can't maintain this for long. Let's hurry," she said to Naruto.

He nodded as he felt her grab his arm. They lept onto the rooftops and starting taking the shortcut to meet Tsunade.

---------

Sakura dispelled the illusion and reappeared next to Naruto at the door of the Hokage's main office.

Though she had talked to Tsuande-sama many times and had even received from training tips from her, Sakura still felt uneasy. This building always made her shrink a little. Aftter all, this was where the first through fifth had made their biggest decisions regarding the safety of the whole village. When she walked through its long halls, it made her feel like an insignificant kunoichi.

Naruto squeezed her arm, trying to ease her nervousness.

"She's going to be happy you're okay," he said reassuringly. "She'll have questions, but if you answer them straight out you'll be fine. Just be honest with her." He laughed, recalling a past event and continued, "Believe me, I tried lying to her once...Boy, she looked like she was going to _kill_ me. See, this one time I forgot to—"

Sakura could sense this was the beginning of another one of his long winded whoppers.

"Naruto! Shut up!" Sakura said sharply.

He smiled and rubbed the back of his neck apologetically. "Sorry, Sakura-chan! I'll save the story for when we eat lunch at Ichiraku together! How does that sound? My treat!"

Sakura sighed heavily and paused.

Gathering her courage, she knocked on the door in front of her.

"Come in," the female voice replied from inside.

Naruto smiled encouragingly. "Good luck," he whispered.

Sakura's lips tightened as she grabbed the handle and pulled the door open, letting herself in.


	13. Chapter 13

The Hokage looked up casually from her pile of paperwork on her desk. When she saw Sakura standing there, her brown eyes widened.

"Sakura!"

"Hokage-sama," Sakura said quietly with a low bow.

There was an uncomfortable silence that followed during which Sakura didn't raise her head.

"Hmm...I was wondering when you'd get back," Tsunade said in a cool voice.

Sakura raised her head, surprised. "You...you expected me?"

"I had a feeling you would survive," the Hokage replied. "Take a seat."

Sakura hesitated, but told herself to keep her composure and obey the request. She sat at the very edge of the chair and suddenly felt very small in the large office.

"I...I'm sorry I was late coming back. I know I worried you and others," stammered Sakura, trying to avoid the Godaime's penetrating gaze.

Tsunade laced her fingers together, elbows on the table.

"The mission report has already been submitted, but I may have to add some things depending on what you tell me," she paused, watching Sakura.

"So...what do you have to say for yourself?"

Sakura studied the carpeting on the ground and swallowed hard. Her mouth was dry.

"Ano..." She wrung her hands and scratched somewhere behind her ear. She hated how the Hokage could always make her feel like a young, naive girl.

There was a pause as Sakura gathered her thoughts.

Then, Tsuande spoke, "You met him." There wasn't any doubt in her voice.

Sakura felt her stomach flip inside of her. Her eyes met Tsuande's suddenly.

_She knows..._

"Don't lie to me," the Godaime warned in a low voice as she furrowed her brow.

When a stunned Sakura didn't respond, Tsuande turned her head and sighed. "I should have known better than to put you on this mission. But you were the only qualified medical ninja on duty, and I thought you would refuse if you had a problem with it."

Sakura was silent.

"Look, I don't know what happened between the two of you, but I do know that it's been at least seven years since you last saw him. Do you mean to tell me that you still have feelings for this person, even after he became a traitor to our village?"

Sakura felt her cheeks grow red with guilt.

"I don't!" she cried, a little too loudly and quickly to be convincing.

Tsunade could see through her easily. "You performed so well on the past few crucial missions. But once I assign you to help in the assassination a good looking boy you—"

"He's more than a just good looking boy!" Sakura screamed instinctively, trembling with anger. Then she realized her mistake: she had defended Sasuke without thinking of the consequences _and_ she had yelled at the Hokage. This was going to cost her.

She stopped and averted Tsuande's gaze, but not before seeing the muscles tense in the older woman's face as she stood up.

"Watch who you are talking to, girl!" she snapped in a raised voice burning with outrage.

Sakura bit her lip and lowered her head. "I...I'm sorry, Tsunade-sama...I don't know what came over me...I..."

Tsunade remained silent. Eventually she cleared her throat, smoothed her blonde hair, and sat down in her chair again.

"Sakura," she said in a calmer voice. "It is your duty as a Konoha ninja to tell me what you saw on the mission."

"Hai, Hokage-sama," Sakura nodded, with her head still lowered.

She paused and lifted her eyes slowly to meet Tsunade's.

"It began..." she started. Sakura took a deep breath before continuing, "It began in the woods...an ANBU nin and I were retreating when—"

For the next ten minutes, she thoroughly recounted the details of their initial encounter- but just the bare facts. During some parts, Sakura found it painfully difficult to continue; with every word she spoke she felt as if she were somehow betraying him. Nevertheless, she had to tell the truth: she disclosed what she knew about the cabin, his residence, and even told Tsunade that he led her home.

Tsunade wrote quickly and twitched slightly when she realized Sasuke had come so close to Konoha.

"Now, what did you do with him during this time and what did you talk about?"

Sakura shifted uncomfortably. That was something between her and Sasuke, a series of events that she wouldn't even reveal to her most intimate friend. Some things she preferred to keep for herself, especially when telling someone else seemed to cheapen the whole memory.

Tsunade eyed her curiously.

Sakura said finally, "We didn't do much. He led me home...that's it. He didn't reveal his plans to me." She was relieved that this was in fact the truth and that Sasuke had not told her about his current ventures.

Tsunade paused meaningfully. She was fully aware that meetings with old teammates could get a little emotional. She was also a realist.

"Did you sleep with him?" she asked seriously.

The words threw Sakura off-guard and caused her heart to race. What a question. This was getting extremely embarrassing and complicated.

"Well?" Tsunade pressed.

"W...With all due respect, Tsuande-sama, is that really relevant?" Sakura asked in a soft, nervous voice.

"I need a measure of how attached he is to you."

Sakura tried to hide a sad sigh. "He's not. I'm sure of it."

Tsunade searched her face for a sign of deceit. There was none.

"I still need evidence."

"He told me as he left," Sakura said quietly, "if I ever saw him again..."

"Yes?"

Pause.

"...He'd kill me."

Tsunade's pen scratched onto the piece of paper, and Sakura finally noticed the beads of sweat that had been gathering on her forehead.

The sound of tapping stopped as Tsuande looked up at Sakura again.

"One final question, then you can go...Did he appear hurt at all to you?"

"No..." Sakura replied candidly.

After a few more marks on the paper in front of her, Tsunade closed the folder and stood up.

Sakura got up as well, using the arm rest as a support since her knees seemed not to work. She felt she had gone through a day-long confession though their meeting had only been for half an hour.

"Alright, Sakura. That's all I needed from you," Tsunade said professionally, but her voice was a little gentler now. "You have the day off, so use it to relax your nerves a little. I'll let the ANBU know that you're alive."

Sakura gave another low bow and turned her back to leave.

Only when she shut the door behind her did she lean back against it with her eyes shut, taking a deep breath. That was over. Sakura took a moment and reviewed her answers. She said everything correctly, right?

Suddenly, she realized that Naruto was probably waiting somewhere outside for her.

_Did he hear?_ Sakura was worried.

She ran down the hallway and finally found Naruto in an enthusiastic conversation with Konohamaru.

"Guess what I did then?" Naruto asked with excited eyes.

"I don't know!" Konohamaru was totally entraced.

"Guess!"

"I really don't know!"

"Well I—"

Sakura sighed with relief, calling his name, "Naruto!"

Naruto suddenly looked in her direction, sheepishly.

"Uh, Sakura-chan! You're back! How was it?"

Sakura shook her head and put a palm over her hot forehead, "I'm just glad it's over."

She walked toward him, took his arm, and tugged him toward the exit.

"What I need now is some hot, delicious ramen. You said you'd treat, right?"

"Ahh?" Naruto felt himself being dragged away. He yelled back to Konohamaru, "Sorry...hey I'll tell you the rest later okay?"

Sakura shook her head as they left the building.

"I can't believe you still tell him those outrageous stories. And I can't believe he still listens! He's what...16, 17 now?"

Naruto tugged back his arm, a little hurt. "Not everyone finds my missions boring you know. Unlike _some_ people, many think they are fascinating and inspiring."

Naruto folded his arms and raised his head proudly.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Sakura mumbled as she walked forward. "Let's get going."

They walked in silence for a moment, then Sakura remembered, "Hey, doesn't the early bird special end at noon?"

Naruto's eyes widened and suddenly disappeared running down the street.


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: Help, everyone, I've created a monster (this fic)!! It's taking over my life.

Gratuitous Hyuuuuga Neji-sama for my beta.

Yes, Lee is still wearing THAT. Ugh.

Whoops this is supposed to be sasusaku...::slaps self::

Question for reviewers: are my updates too fast for you to keep up? Let me know. I just don't want you guys to forget what happened in the story!!

---------------------------------------------------------------

When Sakura finally caught up with Naruto at the Ichiraku stand, she noticed him talking to another figure about his same height, but a little more slender in build. He was wearing the jounin uniform.

She could identify this man immediately by the way he carried himself. He looked almost elegant compared to Naruto who was fidgeting around and making strange gestures.

Sakura remembered a time when he was impossibly intimidating. Although they did still not know each other too well, she had gotten together in groups with him before and been able to enjoy his calm, refined company.

Though his head was turned to Naruto, he could see her coming.

"Sakura-san," he said coolly. But his face showed a slight smile as he watched her walk closer.

"Neji-senpai." Sakura returned a gentle smile as she met his white eyes.

"I see you made it back alright. Everyone will be relieved," Neji said, not moving.

Sakura brushed back her hair nervously. Maybe it was because it was in her face, or maybe she unconsciously felt like she had to make up for Neji's stillness. It was a little odd how he seemed statuesque at times.

"Okay, enough chit-chat. Let's get some ramen," Naruto said as he grabbed both Sakura and Neji's arms and led them into the stand.

Sakura remembered just then that she had someone else to see.

"Neji-san," she began as Naruto pushed her down onto a stool. "Is Lee-kun gone on a mission right now?"

Neji turned his gaze from the menu to Sakura and said, "No, I saw him by the bridge today on my way here."

"What is he doing there?" Sakura tried to meet his eyes around Naruto who was standing between them and ordering a pork ramen from Ayame.

Neji said, "My guess is...he's worried about you. He spent all of yesterday there as well."

Sakura felt a sudden, indescribably warm pang in her heart. It was a different sensation from anything else she had experienced in the last few days.

Of course, Neji knew what she was thinking. (After all, he could see through damn near everything.)

"If you leave now, I'm sure you'll catch him."

Sakura gave a shy smile.

"Thanks."

She took a breath and then hopped off the stool, ready to leave the stand.

"Ehhh!? Sakura-chan! Weren't you the one who wanted to eat ramen?" Naruto exclaimed as his attention suddenly turned from his cooking food to her. He stood up, attempting to block her path.

"I'm not hungry anymore, Naruto." Sakura pushed him aside. She started walking briskly down the street.

Naruto called after her, "If you leave...we're not rescheduling! I'm only going to treat you this time!"

"It's okay! You've done enough! I'll talk to you later!" Sakura yelled back with a grin, before turning around and running down the road towards the bridge.  
------------------------------------------------------------------

The jog felt pleasant in Sakura's lungs, and she was in good spirits as she neared the familiar red bridge. It ran over a small stream, and Sakura could hear the soothing sound of the water flowing around rock.

She remembered it was here, about six years ago, that she had given Lee a bouquet of flowers. It had been a get-well present, which, the last time she visited his place, she noticed he had dried and kept all this time.

This memory increased her desire to see him, and her mouth turned into an uncontrollable grin when she noticed a figure clad in a green leotard sitting down on the bridge, head rested against one of its pillars.

Her footsteps were light, but she thought he had sensed her coming.

When he didn't turn, she walked up to right next to where he sat.

"Is this seat taken?"

Her voice seemed to snap Lee out of whatever daze he had been in. She noticed his head jolt quickly toward her legs, and then up to her face.

"S...Sakura-san?" His black, round eyes were wide and she noticed he was trembling slightly.

She knelt down to his level and clapsed her hands between her chest and her knees.

"I'm glad to see you," she said with a smile so genuine it made Lee start to tear up.

"Sakura-san..." his face turned into a frown and his thick eyebrows furrowed in an attempt to prevent himself from crying.

Sakura laughed good-naturedly and shifted her body weight to sit down next to him. For a minute, he stared at her, while Sakura's gaze focused on the pillars on the other side of the bridge.

After awhile she turned to him again, brushing away the pink hair that the wind blew into her face. His intense expression was making her a little nervous. Lee was still speechless.

"It's okay, Lee. I'm back. I'm alright," she reassured him as she took one of his hands in both of hers.

His fingers were cold and Sakura rubbed them gently.

"Wh-When Tsunade-sama told me you didn't come back from your mission...I didn't know what to think..."

He paused and swallowed hard. "I didn't want to expect the worst...but I couldn't help it...She told me to keep my hopes up...but...Sakura-san..."

"What is it, Lee?" Sakura asked softly.

"I didn't think you'd come back...I'm sorry I doubted you," he said guiltily, eyes falling to where their hands met.

"Don't worry about it," Sakura smiled, trying to comfort him.

Her tender tone made Lee feel even more at fault. Although he was determined not to cry, he suddenly found the tears forming inside his eyes and tumbling down his face.

Sakura sensed his sincerity and felt the same warming in her core she experienced when she thought of visiting him for the first time in so long. She was touched by his feelings towards her and, especially, the way he expressed them. Lee was the only one who had ever been so open with his affection for her.

"Were you hurt, Sakura-san?" His voice cracked.

Sakura shook her head and tilted it to one side.

"No. Look," she said while running her fingers over her small wound on her neck. "I just have this one cut, and another on my arm. But they've healed almost completely and in a few days you won't even be able to see them anymore."

Lee looked a little relieved, but his shoulders were still slumped and his gaze fell again.

"Lee," Sakura whispered, raising his chin so that their faces met.

His eyes were watery but he stopped crying momentarily.

"I'm here now. It's okay."

As she said those words, her hands reached up over his shoulders and around his neck, bringing him in close to her.

Lee's face was full of surprise at her gesture. His chin rested on her shoulders and he finally noticed that she was hugging him. He couldn't recall a time that she had initiated their embrace.

She pulled away after a few seconds and rubbed her arms, shyly.

Lee felt overcome with emotion.

"Sakura-san!!" He threw his arms around her and held her tight. Sakura was caught off-guard at first, but then put her arms around his waist. They remained in this postion for a long time, and Sakura began thinking about all the of he times they had hugged. She noticed his proportions again, and felt herself comparing this embrace to Naruto's...and to—

"You don't have to worry," Lee said passionately, "I'll protect you. Just tell me who hurt you, and I'll promise to make him regret it! I'll...hunt him down and kill him...or...I'll die trying to!"

His reference to the same person Sakura was just thinking about made her let go of Lee suddenly and push him gently away.

Their bodies separated.

"What is it?" His eyes were disappointed and concerned.

"It's...nothing," Sakura stammered slightly, using two fingers to rub the side of her forehead uneasily.

_Sasuke..._

His name sounded more foreign in her mind now, and Sakura didn't know whether she was happy about that or not. A part of her scolded her for thinking of him at a time like this with Lee by her side. Another part of her ached for him and guiltily wished he were here sitting next to her instead of Lee.

Sakura tried to push Sasuke out of her mind and concentrated on the face in front of her. It was easier than she imagined. She studied Lee's features...how different they were...how amazing...the warmth in his eyes was so comforting. There was no doubt about the way he felt.

"You'll have to forgive me. I must still be a little distracted."

"It's my fault," he said understandingly, "I should have given you more space."

Sakura touched his arm and smiled at him appreciatively before resting against the pillar, once again noting the gentle sway of the trees and the sound of tricking water.

After some time, she felt his fingers brush hers lightly and then settle over the back of her hand. Sakura turned her palm up to welcome them and gave them a soft squeeze.

The hand in hers didn't send a chill down her spine. Her heart was beating normally, not thumping painfully as if it would jump out of her chest. She didn't feel paralyzed or vulnerable, but safe and protected.

This was home, and the man next to her...he was real.

_Maybe..._Sakura told herself with a content sigh,

_Maybe this is how it's supposed to be._


	15. Chapter 15

A/N: Gratuitous Iruka-sensei references for...me. I'm too old to squeal like a fan girl but...ah, screw it. ::fangirlsqueal::

Sorry. This chapter kind of has a lot of disjointed parts. Bear with me...  
I get it- you guys want Sasuke back...hopefully after this chapter you can see how he'll come back in the picture :-)

----------------------------------------------------

The meeting with Lee had left Sakura with a warm feeling in her heart. Her nerves were calm again and she was glad that she no longer felt like the lost child of the past few days. Things seemed to pick up their habitual rhythm again. In fact, it felt just like any other day she had free to herself. But before she retired to her apartment, she had gone to see Ino, who had returned to work at the flowershop after a hard day at the academy.

"Ino-pig, did you miss me?" Sakura asked as she poked her head into the flower shop.

Ino looked up from the papers she was writing on behind the counter.

"Ah! Who's this lady with the wide forehead?" She said with a broad grin as her gaze met her familiar pink haired friend.

Ino left the stool and met Sakura midway through the flowershop with a welcoming hug. It was tighter and lasted longer than their usual friendly embrace.

Ino withdrew with her hands still on Sakura's arms.

"You sneaky girl, you did this on purpose didn't you? What, was Lee not giving you enough attention? You had to go and get yourself lost and worry the whole village?"

Sakura smiled guiltily.

"Tsk tsk." Ino clicked disapprovingly while she shook her head and let go of Sakura. She turned and walked back to her stool.

After a moment, Sakura followed Ino and asked, "What are you working on?"

"Oh, just some papers Iruka-sensei told me to grade," Ino replied, resting her cheek on a hand while tapping a pen on the papers in an uninterested way.

_Papers?_ Sakura thought.

"Right!" Sakura remembered aloud, "how is that going?"

Ino threw her pen down and sighed, "The kids are such brats, Sakura! I don't remember being that way- do you? I can't believe how Iruka-sensei deals with it! I have half a mind to strangle some of them!"

"But you wanted to teach!"

"Yeah, well, I'm beginning to think that was a bad idea." Ino sighed again and slouched while crossing her arms in front of her. "It doesn't help that I work here either," she complained, "My students have no respect for me! They come in knowing that I have to be polite to them, just testing me to see if I'll yell."

Sakura was relieved that their conversation was centered on the so-called "brats" Ino was teaching and not her own mission.

"Well, you could do anything you want, Ino," Sakura said while bending down to examine the flowers in the buckets. "You don't have to be stuck as an academy teacher. You can still take the jounin exam. Maybe ANBU or hunter-nin is a better fit." Sakura pulled out a few daffodils.

"I have a little more sense of self-preservation than to do that. I'm not planning to die anytime soon you know? Not before..." Her voice drifted off. She paused.

"Not before what?" Sakura teased, "Before you marry Shikamaru?"

She moved her head suddenly to avoid the flying pen that was thrown her way.

"I'm not marrying that bastard, Sakura!" Ino's cheeks were hot.

"But you're dating him..."

Clearly, it was an unusual relationship.

"Yes...well--" Ino's voice broke off, frustrated. She huffed before regaining her composure and realizing that two could play this game. "Well, how are you and _Lee_?" she prodded meaningfully, her voice artificially sweet.

It was Sakura's turn to blush as she turned her head away from her friend's gaze.

"What about us?" Sakura stood up with the bunch of daffodils in her hands, still averting her gaze from her friend's insinuating look.

"Come on, I know he was glad to see you. You guys have anything special planned tonight? Dinner by candlelight, or a cozy evening at home?"

"It's not like that," mumbled Sakura as she brushed her hair back.

Ino sighed and shook her head slightly. Then her voice grew more serious. "He really cares about you, you know."

Sakura's expression. looked a little hesitant when she turned to look at Ino again. Then her eyes lowered as she twirled the flowers in her hands.

"I know."

"Do you care about him?"

The answer was simple. "Yes, of course."

There was another pause.

"He would do anything for you." Ino continued gently, giving Sakura's forearm a squeeze.

Something about her tone made Sakura look into Ino's deep blue eyes.

"You deserve someone like that."

Her voice was soft, but Sakura felt suddenly uncomfortable and threatened. She stared at her friend, wondering if Ino could somehow see through her thoughts. What she had spoken...it was almost as if she were comparing Lee to _him..._

Ino sensed her discomfort; she didn't know why her friend seemed to fall suddenly into a trance. To break the awkward silence that lasted for far too long, Ino cleared her throat loudly and said brightly, "So! Sakura! Do you know what you're going to wear to the festival yet?"

Sakura's eyes blinked a few times while she came back to her senses.

"What?"

Ino sighed and folded her arms again in mock disappointment, "I know you were gone for a few days, but you haven't forgotten have you? The festival? This Saturday?"

"Festival...," Sakura searched her mind. "Oh!"

"_Yes_," Ino said, exasperated.

Sakura's throat was suddenly dry. The last thing on her mind had been the annual Konoha festival taking place this weekend. "No, I have no idea what I'm wearing."

"Well, neither do I. I was searching through my closet yesterday and it was _so_ depressing. You want to go shopping sometime?"

"Yeah...um, sure." This conversation was getting more confortable.

"How does tomorrow afternoon sound?"

"Hmm...I have to check tomorrow for missions, but Tsunade-sama probably won't assign me anything so soon. And all the shinobi will get Saturday off for sure. So...yeah, I guess tomorrow afternoon is fine."

"Guh, I'm so excited. It's always fun to see everyone dressed up, don't you think?"

"Right," Sakura raised an eyebrow at her friend. "Especially..."

"Don't start with me again, forehead girl!" Ino warned.

Sakura shrugged and sighed. Deciding she should get going, she reached into her back pocket for money to pay for the flowers.

"Now you're trying to make it up to me with money! I'm not taking it Sakura!" Ino affected a pout.

"Ino, I didn't pay for my last flowers. I should at least—"

"Just get going would ya? I've got some papers to grade." Ino turned immediately to the stack of exams in front of her.

Sakura smiled at her friend warmly. Ino had a strange way of showing her affection, and Sakura suddenly felt very sorry for Shikamaru. Dating her best friend was probably the most masochistic thing she could think of, especially for someone with such a low tolerance for troublesome behavior.

"I'll treat you to dinner sometime," Sakura turned her head as she prepared to leave the shop.

Ino waved her off, her gaze still fixed on her papers.

Sakura suppressed a laugh as she exited into the warm afternoon sun on her, clutching her late offering for the memorial.

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That night, Sakura found it hard to sleep. This marked the first time she was alone in her bed in more than a week. Her body felt tired, but her mind kept running over the different events that occurred that day. Everytime she tried to block thoughts out of her head and concentrate on her steady, rhythmic breathing, some memory would make its way to her consciousness. The morning with Hokage-sama was especially upsetting; it felt like it happened so long ago, but she could easily recall the burn on her cheeks during the whole meeting.

Sakura, resting on her side, stared at the clock on the wall. 12:00 midnight already. She sighed and drummed her fingers on the mattress.

After some time, she shifted to sit up, her white bedsheets rustling nosily in the silence of the night. For awhile, she debated what do to. Try to sleep again? Read? Go bother Naruto? Suddenly, she shivered.

Tossing the covers over, she scooted to the edge of the bed and stood up with some effort. She gathered her hair to one side and rubbed the sides of her arms. The night air blew in through the open window, and her white tank top and pink shorts were thin protection from the chill.

Sakura reached outside the window to grab the panels to shut it, but she paused for a moment. Though it was cold, she noticed that the air felt fresh against her bare skin and the sensation wasn't unpleasant.

The mountains in the distance looked like ominous, dark masses and for awhile Sakura just stared at them. It had only been last night that she had collapsed hard against the rock. She recalled the intensity of her emotions then and felt an uncontrollable pain start growing in the pit of her stomach. Sakura shivered again, but it wasn't because of the temperature.

She closed the panel quickly and returned to her position on the bed.

She didn't want to think about him.

_You're supposed to forget, right?_ She scolded herself.

Sakura let herself fall back onto her bed, causing it to shake slightly under her weight.

She stared at the ceiling.

_Festival, huh...  
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_

The next morning Sakura went through her plans for the day. First a trip to the memorial, then a stop at the chuunin office, followed by some free time and a nice afternoon shopping with Ino.

As she walked down the streets of Konoha, she noticed people setting up decorations and cleaning the streets for the festival tomorrow. There was always some sort of parade in the afternoon, but the real activity began at night. The shops would be open late and packed with their best products, delicious food would be prepared in stands right before their eyes, and different activites for children and adults would be set up for everyone's enjoyment. And of course, there would be more than a few parties. Sakura looked forward to it enough- this was a time shinobi could just be normal citizens, participating in the gaiety of celebration.

The sound of a crow cawing over her head disrupted her thoughts and made Sakura shift her gaze to the sky. She squinted in the morning sun, but sure enough, she could make out the image of a crow circling above her. This could only mean one thing.

_I wonder what the Hokage wants from me now...this early in the morning?_

She sighed and concentrated the chakra to her feet. She jumped to the rooftops and began traveling steadily toward the government building.

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"Come in," the strong female voice said.

Sakura opened the door and walked in, expecting to see Tsuande sitting behind her desk shuffling papers. Instead, she was surprised to see Tsunade standing up, leaning her weight on the front edge of her desk. Next to her stood an ANBU nin; they had been talking.

"What's going on here, Tsunade-sama?" Sakura asked, confused. "You sent for me?"

She carefully made her way to where the other two stood.

"Ah, Sakura-san. I am happy to see that you made it back safely," said the ANBU nin. He was wearing a white cloak.

The voice sounded familiar.

Sakura recognized him now as the captain of her last mission- the same one that had given her the uniform and set the signal for the attack that damp night in the forest. So much had happened since then, and she tried to control a shudder.

The ANBU captain continued, "We wanted to speak with you about a few things."

Sakura looked from the ANBU to the Hokage and dropped her eyes.

_Not this again..._

"What did you want to say?" She cleared her throat, preparing herself for a barrage of questions.

"The two of the ANBU that night suffered third degree burns but are alive. The other, your partner that night, was also injured severely, but he currently is undergoing surgery to replace the tendon."

His sentence didn't sound finished.

_There's more..._

There was a pause before the captain spoke again, "We were curious, however, why you were practically untouched."

Sakura's face was turned down so he could not see her discomfort..

"I'm not sure, but..." she replied softly. She heard the Hokage shift. She continued, lifting her head and trying to keep the sadness out of her eyes, "If you didn't know, we were once teammates..."

She added, her voice stronger now, "...but that was a long time ago."

"I see," the ANBU said calmly.

"So, for the duration which you were kidnapped, he didn't hurt you?" he asked again.

"No."

"Is there any chance he would want come back? Either for revenge...or to see you?"

Sakura's head fell again. She closed her eyes momentarily.

"I'm sure there isn't." Her voice seemed to convince her own self of this fact. It squashed any remaining hope that she would ever see him again. Then she realized who was watching her- the leader of her mission and the Hokage- and she stiffened.

She couldn't betray that she wanted anything to do with Sasuke. It pained her to say so, but she felt like she had to.

"We didn't part on the best terms...He made it clear he didn't want to meet me again and...well...I don't want to see him either. He is nothing more to me than a stranger now."

The Hokage raised an eyebrow, but thought that perhaps Sakura had finally come to her senses and gotten tired of unrequited feelings.

"If there is a risk of him coming back to bother you, Sakura, we can have two ANBU escort you in public if you like," she said.

The ANBU captain cleared his throat. "That won't be necessary, Tsunade-sama."

The Hokage looked at the masked man. "Why?"

"Those needles that I wrote about in the mission report. They..." he paused, "they were coated with strychnine."

Both women's eyes widened.

Sakura grabbed the back of the chair to steady herself.

_What...? What is he talking about?_

"Our teammate was sure he got a hit, maybe even at the brachial artery. The symptoms take a few days to settle in...so right about now, he should start feeling the effects."

Sakura now felt as if the ground supporting her had crumbled. She summoned all her strength to steady the racing of her heart in front of her company. She gave a deep breath and closed her eyes, but her insides felt sore and tense.

"Most likely he would try to draw out the blood, but for this particular poison that only spreads its affects to other parts of the body. Our enemy doesn't know that the only antidote is here, and only our medical shinobi know how treat that wound. In the unlikely event that he figured this out, it would be too late for him. Most likely, he couldn't travel here in his condition," the ANBU continued.

Sakura felt a scream build up in her core.

_It's not true...it can't be true..._

"If that is the case," Tsunade-sama said gravely, "I'll dispatch hunter-nins in the next few days to search for his body."

The Hokage sighed and shook her head.

"It's unfortunate," she stole a meaningful glance at Sakura, "but it had to be done."

Sakura felt a surge of anger and disbelief and thought she would explode. She had to get out of this office as soon as possible.

"If that is all, Hokage-sama, I should get going," Sakura said with a bow, in the calmest voice she could muster in this condition.

Tsunade put a hand on Sakura's arm and gave it a squeeze, which surprised the younger woman. Sakura met her gaze. The brown eyes were warmer now.

"Try to enjoy the festival, Sakura."

"Hai."

She gave another low bow to the Hokage and then to the ANBU captain before she walked out of the office, artificially trying to mimic a normal pace.

When the door finally shut, Sakura's shoulders fell and her eyes closed. Her whole body ached with an incredibly sharp pain.

_He said he would kill me. So...why? Why do I still care?_

Sakura grabbed her chest with one hand.

_Because..._

Before she found the reason why, she felt the tears start welling up in her eyes again. She quickly brushed them aside. But her body wasn't satisfied. Sakura felt the rush of emotions sweep over her, trying to find an outlet. The only thing she could think of was to run.

Sakura ran out of the hallway, down the stairs, out the building, and through the streets. She had no idea where she was going, but she felt compelled to keep moving. Unwittingly, she came to the grassy field where the shinobi memorial was.

She sprinted right up to it and suddenly stopped.

No one was here now, she had it all to herself.

She felt her eyes water again but she let the tears fall this time. After kneeling slowly down into the grass, she bowed her head. She felt her racing pulse start to slow down.

He was the only person she could talk to now.

_Kakashi-sensei..._

_What am I going to do..._

_What can I do?_

Her only answer was the morning breeze that rustled the branches.

_Please tell me..._

Sakura wondered why she expected a response, but suddenly she was angry that she didn't. With the palm of her hand she slapped the cool marble in frustration and gripped it in pain when she felt the sting.

This had been the place where team 7 first trained. It was the bell snatching trick, and they failed miserably the first time around. They had each attempted to steal the bell individually, when all along the answer was teamwork.

_Teamwork._

Sakura closed her eyes and traveled back to that moment in her mind. Her sensei had said something back then. It was something like, "_Those who fail the mission are worthless. But those who betray their friends...they are worse than trash..."_

It had meant little to her at that time, but now, that was the only statement of his that she remembered. Sasuke had been her teammate once; he had saved her life countless times on missions in the past. She couldn't let him die, not if she could do something about it.

Sakura paused for a minute, and then stood up slowly.

"Thank you, Kakashi-sensei," she whispered aloud with a bow.

She had made her decision, and with each passing moment she was more and more convinced that it was the right one.

Her brow furrowed. She would be no use to Sasuke if she just sat and cried. She had to help him, somehow. Now was the time to make the plan.

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A/N: Strychnine works on the spinal cord and causes convulsions and muscular hyperactivity; all muscles are excited and contracted maximally which leads to an instant, painful death. It's also easy to detect (think rat poison). So, obviously, my story isn't exactly accurate! But Sasuke will have some of these symptoms- crippling cramps in his arms, spreading to the rest of his body maybe. Just wanted to have a name of a toxin in there, and just so happens I found one in my school notes.


	16. Chapter 16

A/N: If there are boys/men reading my fic, I apologize ahead of time for all this talk about dresses. Please be patient with all this "extra stuff." Sasuke will come back in the story soon!

Disjointed parts again. Just having a little fun with Naruto and Kiba. This fic is far too serious.

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Sakura used the time between her meeting with the Hokage and shopping with Ino to sit in her apartment and figure out how she was going to help Sasuke. There were a few obvious obstacles.

First, the antidotes to all the poisons were located in the basement of the government building, under the Hokage's office. As a medical ninja, she knew the combination to this room, but there was always at least one medically trained jounin there guarding the door in case. She would have to sign out which antidote she wanted and state what purpose it would be used for.

That would be the easy part. Then, Sakura would have to find an excuse to leave the village for an indefinite amount of time. Getting mysteriously "lost" on a mission wasn't an option either; it was not common for the Hokage to give out assignments right after the festival. She would also have to keep her plans secret from her best friends, who would definitely try to get the reason of her departure out of her if they saw her leave. Even if they didn't witness her departure, her friends would eventually find out. If she went missing long enough, she knew either Lee or Naruto or both would come after her.

Sakura sighed.

_One part at a time._

How was she going to slip into the basement? Sakura decided that she would try during the night of the festival when everyone was distracted and out enjoying the celebration.

_The Hokage wouldn't assign someone on duty the night of the festival...would she?_

In reality, Sakura wasn't sure of the answer. There was a good chance that there might actually be a guard tomorrow night as well. If that was the case, she would have to talk and charm her way into getting the antidote. As a chuunin, she doubted she could get past the guard any other way. Even if she signed her purpose out on the form, surely they wouldn't verify the claim until she was long gone. What would happen if they found out?—Sakura didn't know, but she didn't care. That was far in the future and she had to concentrate on her current strategy.

Now how was she going to get past her friends? Sakura thought the best option was to slip out unnoticed during one of the many parties that night. Everyone party-hopped, and it was hard to keep track of people. Furthermore, she was sure all the shinobi would take advantage of this opportunity to get totally wasted. That would incapacitate them the rest of that night and the day after. To decrease the time she was wandering around away from the festival, she would leave immediately after she got the antidote. That would buy her some time, but that meant she couldn't bring much with her.

Food and drink during her journey? Change of clothes? She'd find a way to survive. Sakura cringed at the thought of leaving Konoha on her own mission in nothing but a short party dress.

Of course, her plans also depended on the assumption that Sasuke would be in his home in the forest. If, in fact, he wasn't there...

Sakura tried to shove that thought out of her mind.

_He's going to be there. He has to be._

Suddenly she heard the doorbell ring. She remembered then that it was probably Ino. Sakura got up from her chair and opened the door. Sure enough, she met Ino's blue eyes.

"Ah, Sakura. You ready?"

Sakura smiled, and grabbed her purse that was lying on the couch nearby.

"Hi Ino. Yeah, let's go."

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Though Sakura's thoughts were preoccupied with her plan for tomorrow night, she forced herself to care about what she was going to wear to the festival. It was easier when she realized that this dress was probably going to be the only piece of clothing she would have on her journey. She had to consider her options carefully.

"Sakura!" Ino said, clutching to her friend's arm and pulling her into a store.

"Look at that!" she pointed at a purple, A-line satin strapless dress. The hem flared a little and Sakura noticed tulle under the dress.

"That's cute, Ino," Sakura remarked.

"Why don't you try it on?"

"Me? Why me?" Sakura asked, "I thought you liked it. And you like purple right?"

Ino sighed and rubbed the lower part of her neck. "I hate my shoulders, Sakura."

"What? They're perfect!" Sakura said.

This seemed to make Ino feel a little better, but then she said, "It's pretty but a little too fancy for the parties I guess. And plus all that tulle, I'll be rustling everywhere I go."

Sakura shrugged, but noted that those were the types of things she had to consider on her mission.

Ino pulled her to another section. "Ah, look at these!"

She started removing dresses from the rack and putting it against her, appraising herself in the mirror. Soon, Ino had a few selections resting over her arm and made her way to the dressing room. Sakura tried to share in the excitement with her friend and be supportive, but for obvious reasons she couldn't really give constructive advice.

Ino stood in one of her light blue dresses, hands on her hips, studying herself from all angles in the mirror.

"How is this one?"

"It's really great, Ino," Sakura said as she sat on a cushion watching her friend.

Ino paused and gave her a curious glance. "That's what you said about the last two, Sakura!"

Sakura decided flattery was the only way to get out of this. "You look pretty in everything! I don't see why you're so picky."

She was glad Ino was too into shopping to notice how distracted she was. Ino tilted her head and reassessed herself in the mirror.

"I'll put it in the maybe pile."

Sakura sighed quietly. "If you wanted to get something Shikamaru would like, you should have gone shopping with him."

Sakura immediately regretted her words when she sensed some bad chakra focused on her body.

Ino's eyebrow twitched. "I don't care what that loser thinks."

Clearly, she did, but Sakura didn't want to aggravate her more. Ino sure was scary sometimes.

Ino then shifted tones so suddenly that it surprised Sakura.

"Anyway," she began lightheartedly again, "you haven't picked anything!"

Sakura looked around. "Ummm..."

Ino finally noticed that her friend had been spacing out most of the afternoon. She seemed to be more concerned now and sat down next to her. "Sakura, what's wrong with you? We always have fun shopping together. You seem so distracted today."

"Sorry, Ino...I really don't know why. I guess, I'm a little tired," Sakura lied.

To relieve herself of Ino's suspicion, Sakura stood up and said, "Also, I have no idea what color suits me. What do you think?"

Ino's face melted into a grin as she pat Sakura's hand.

"I'll help you, Sakura-chan."

Sakura must have seemed picky to Ino as well, since everything she tried on was either too short, too tight, or too noisy. Ino grew frustrated, but Sakura was intent on picking the right outfit so that she could move as comfortably as possible through the forest. Also, she would need a weapons holster attached to her inner thigh and out of view, so the dress couldn't be too short or tight.

But of course, she thought with a blush, maybe this dress could help her throw off the jounin guarding the basement tomorrow night. She eventually settled on a green satin dress with black lace trim. The material was not thick, straps were thin, and the neckline fell dangerously low, but she thought all three worries would be remedied if she wore a jacket over it.

"Green huh? Trying to match someone we know?" Ino hinted.

"Uh...yeah." Sakura had actually planned to use it more as camouflage, but her response satisfied Ino.

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Sakura was too nervous and anxious to sleep well that night. In such a short time, she would be away from Konoha again, not knowing when she'd return.

The prospect of leaving on her own in search of an S-class criminal scared her, but her determination to heal Sasuke was stronger than her fear. Many uncertainties festered in her mind, but no matter what, she knew she had to make it work.

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The entire morning and afternoon of the day of the festival, Sakura felt apprehensive. She kept running through her plans, trying to imagine unforeseen challenges before actually running face first into them. Though she was scared, never for a moment was she uncertain.

She experienced a feeling of finality as she took a shower in the late afternoon. Before missions, she would always realize during this time that the next time she took a shower in her apartment would be when she returned, which was often an undetermined date in the future. Of course, there was also the possibility that she would never come back. That chance was higher than ever for this self-made mission.

For some reason, she was very meticulous about her physical appearance for the night. Sakura slipped on her dress slowly and smoothed it out, studying herself solemnly in the mirror. The brush dragged slowly through her hair and she was unusually intent on making sure every strand was in place. She only put on a minimal amount of make-up, enough to make sure Ino wouldn't freak out and volunteer to apply it herself.

Sakura sat on her couch, watching the clock on the wall. At six o clock, she would meet her friends for dinner. After that, they would check out the festival goodies on the streets and attend some parties. During past celebrations, Sakura would always find that time passed too quickly, but this time around she expected it to move painfully slowly. Her objective tonight was not to live it up with her best friends, but to get deep into the forest with the antidote. All that passed before then were just obstacles that she had to get through first.

She sighed and stared at the clock again.

_Five thirty._

Her mission would start at 10:00pm tonight. Sakura decided to get to the restaurant early; she was anxious to get the night started. After grabbing her jacket and purse off of the couch, she took her time to put on her shoes. They were sneakers—Ino would yell at her for sure, but there was no way she'd travel through the forest in a pair of high heels. She stood up and opened the door. Before she left, she sighed and took a sad look around her apartment again.

_Who knows when I'll be back...if ever..._

Sakura tried to gather up her courage as she shut the door. The buzz of festivity on the street sounded foreign to her in her current mood as she made her way to the restaurant.

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The alcohol flowed generously throughout the dinner, but it was consumed mostly by Naruto and Kiba who wanted to get a "head-start" on the evening.

Sakura was tempted to numb her anxiety, but decided that would be counterproductive. She needed to keep her senses acute tonight.

They were eating in a big group including all the shinobi that had taken the chuunin exam about six years ago together save Shino, and of course, Sasuke. Luckily there was so much conversation and good spirits, Sakura didn't feel like her distraction would be noticed. Fortunately for her, both her neighbors, Rock Lee on her left and Hinata on her right, preferred to listen rather than draw attention to themselves and to her.

No one seemed to be aware that she poked thoughtlessly at her food during dinner and was unusually quiet. After finishing eating, her friends sat and talked awhile more, which made Sakura even more restless. But as she wrung her hands in her lap anxiously, Lee's hand suddenly rest over hers and gave them a reassuring squeeze. For a second then, she experienced her first feeling of doubt.

Finally after another hour or so, the shinobi exited the restaurant and browsed through the streets looking at the displays and games. Later that evening, they hit the parties.

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After testing out a few parties, Naruto and Ino, who were the most picky choosers, finally agreed on one boisterous gathering on the top floor of one of the buildings on the main street. Ino wanted plenty of room to dance, Naruto and Kiba wanted plenty of things to drink, Chouji wanted plenty of food, and this party offered enough of everything,

Sakura didn't really want to dance, but she observed her friends from the bar with Naruto, Chouji and Kiba. Ino was making a rather amusing scene when Shikamaru absolutely refused to dance and crossed his arms. She saw Ino try to strike up a dance with a reluctant Rock Lee in an attempt to make Shikamaru jealous, but Shikamaru just looked away, which got Ino even angrier.

"You want me to get you something Sakura?" Naruto offered as he handed the bartender some money.

"No...you guys go ahead." Sakura turned her body on the stool to face him and smiled weakly.

"Sure?"

"Yeah, I can't keep up with you anyways."

For some reason Naruto beamed proudly, which caused Kiba to mutter, "Psh, I bet I can."

"Is that a challenge?" Naruto's eyebrows cocked.

Kiba straightened up. He was feeling daring tonight. "Only if you promise not to cry like a girl when you lose," he said with a smug grin.

Naruto chuckled confidently and said, "Deal."

Then he turned to Chouji who was stuffing some chips in his face. "You want in?"

Chouji didn't pause from his munching and shook his head.

Sakura sighed as Naruto ordered the bartender to set up some shots for what she thought was a pointless drinking contest with Kiba. She just knew that both of them would spend tomorrow hunched over a toilet. Trying to block the sound of groans, gasps, slamming shot glasses from Naruto and Kiba and chewing noises from Chouji out of her head, Sakura turned away and began reviewing her plans for the night.

_At 10:00, I'll slip outside. Chouji, Kiba and Naruto will definitely not notice. Ino will be too busy dancing, Shikamaru too busy avoiding her. Neji and Tenten...seemed to have gone off on their own somewhere. Hinata will be staring at Naruto..._

_But Lee..._

Throwing Lee off would be a challenge. Sakura had nothing planned for this. She could only pray that he wouldn't notice...but what were the chances of that?

Her thoughts were interrupted by Kiba's voice.

"Hey this is a drinking contest! You can't eat!"

Kiba looked outraged at Naruto who was now stealing handfuls of chips from the bowl Chouji was hogging.

"Shut up, we didn't make that rule. Drinking makes me hungry," Naruto said with his mouth full.

Sakura, who found this competition completely inane, stood up and left without a word.

"If you keep that up you won't be able to fit into your uniform anymore," Kiba shot back.

Naruto stopped and glared at Kiba. After a few seconds, he stood up. Then he pulled out his shirt from his pants, unbuttoned the last few buttons and raised the cloth and the thin undershirt to reveal his perfectly defined stomach.

"You want a piece of this?" Naruto said patting his bare skin contently.

"Idiot, it's not like I don't have one." And, not to be shown up, Kiba also pulled up the bottom of his shirt.

Naruto narrowed his eyes and turned around to look for Sakura, but she wasn't there. His head felt a buzz from moving so fast.

"Eh? Sakura-chan?"

Then his eyes fell on Hinata, who was innocently making her way past the bar to get some water.

"Hey Hinata, come over here for a second would ya?" Naruto flashed a smile and beckoned her with his hand.

Hinata paused and had a wary look. "N...Naruto-kun..."

Nonetheless, if Naruto needed her for something she would be there for him. Hinata wondered what it could be as she walked over to where they were standing. Was he going to say something to her? Comment on the way she looked? Or ask her to dance?

Hinata blushed slightly and did the finger thing. She faced Kiba and Naruto and looked up into Naruto's eyes, which, she noted disappointedly, seemed a little dulled by the alcohol.

"Take a look," Naruto raised up his shirt again. He looked down at himself so he couldn't see Hinata's white eyes widen. "Don't you think my abs are much better than Kiba's?"

"Come on, Hinata. Naruto's got nothing on me," Kiba said while pulling up his own shirt for proof.

Hinata was speechless.

"Oh please," Naruto sighed, "Yours may seem impressive but I bet they're all flabby when you touch them. Mine, on the other hand, are rock hard." He slapped himself a few times to prove his point.

"Feel them," he said as he tried to grab Kiba's forearm.

"Are you kidding? I'm not touching you, idiot! Not that drunk yet!" Kiba withdrew his hands forcefully.

Naruto turned to Hinata. "Hinata, you'll have to settle this." He grabbed her hand before she could refuse and rubbed it on his lower stomach. Hinata nearly died.

"N...Naruto-kun..." She stammered, face bright red. She couldn't look him in the eye, even if he was a bit inebriated and wouldn't be able to remember this incident tomorrow.

Naruto grinned.

Hinata mumbled something incomprehensible while Kiba huffed. Suddenly Naruto dropped her hand.

"I love this song!" Naruto exclaimed. "Kiba, we'll have to pick this up later."

As he walked away skipping and sliding to the dance floor, he seemed to completely forget about the whole contest.

Sakura felt a sense of dread as Naruto started making his way toward her.

"Come on Sakura-chan!"

Sakura had no idea if he was drunk or not. She didn't put this kind of behavior beyond him. He attempted to pull her into his dance, but she pushed him off gently, refusing.

"You're doing fine by yourself!" She laughed.

He shrugged it off and danced awhile by himself. Sakura thought she was safe, but much to her embarrassment, she noticed him start to climb on to the table.

Before she knew it, Naruto was dancing enthusiastically on the tables and trying to convince someone else to come up with him. Sakura didn't really want to watch him make an ass of himself and wanted even less to accidentally catch his gaze and be forced to join him, so she took this time to slip out.

She opened the balcony door and closed it behind her. The music was practically inaudible now as she walked to the edge and observed the bustle of activity on the street below. She noticed a clock on a nearby tower. It was getting close to 10:00.

Her breath fogged up the night air as she rubbed her arms through the jacket. Suddenly she regretted that she had not just come to the party in a fleece sweatshirt and pants. It was freezing and she would have to travel through the woods later on tonight.

She heard the door slide open and shut again, but didn't turn around. Someone walked up to her from behind, put both hands on her shoulders and came around to her side. Sakura turned her head to meet him and smiled pleasantly.

"Hello," she said, tucking her hair behind her ear.


	17. Chapter 17

"Sakura-san, were you trying to leave without saying goodbye?" Lee asked.

She was surprised at how accurate he was.

"No, I just wanted some fresh air." She glanced at him for a second then concentrated somewhere in front of her. Sakura involuntarily shivered again and hugged herself.

"I would give you my jacket, Sakura-san, but I didn't bring one myself," Lee said regretfully.

For a second, Sakura wondered how Lee was always such a gentleman.

"It's okay."

She resumed looking intently somewhere in the distance. Lee tried to read the expression on her face. It was focused on something.

"Sakura-san..." His hand slipped around her waist and rested there. "You've been distracted lately," he said gently, "I thought before it was because you were tired, but you've been back for a couple days now..."

Sakura looked down at her feet and remained silent.

"I can't help but think something might be bothering you. Did...did something happen while you were gone on your mission?" Lee asked.

Sakura still didn't respond.

"Or...is it me?" Lee took a step to the side so now he was facing her.

Sakura turned her eyes to meet his. She saw they were full of kindness and concern.

She shook her head and said, "It's not you, Lee." She smiled weakly.

There was a pause before Lee stiffened slightly. He spoke again. "I don't mean to ask you so many questions, Sakura-san. But...I'm..." Lee sighed, "I'm just jealous of whatever...or whoever...has your attention."

Sakura's eyes closed and she felt a dull pain in her chest that made her heart sore. "Lee-kun..." Sakura shook her head sadly.

"Sakura-san." Lee put his hands on her arms and looked into her eyes. "No matter what it is on your mind...you can tell me. Please, Sakura-san. I want to know..."

Sakura felt tears start to build up and she quickly turned her head away from him. She didn't want him to know she wanted to cry, but her finger slipped under her nose as she sniffed.

"Sakura-san. I didn't upset you, did I?" Lee's voice grew more alarmed.

"No," Sakura choked out with a slight tremor.

She broke away from his arms, turning her back to him and walking a few steps forward. Lee was surprised by her rejection.

After Sakura felt like she had a better handle on her emotions, she turned around to face him again. Her eyes sparkled in the low light.

"Lee-kun...you didn't upset me. You never upset me. You're just...just..."

Lee looked anxiously at her.

Sakura sighed and her shoulders slumped a little. "Perfect."

Taking this as a good sign, Lee walked slowly toward her until his body was close to hers. He reached down to hold her hands and supported them at their sides. "Sakura-san..."

His thumbs traced the knuckles on her fingers. Her hands were cold.

"Let me be the one," he said in a tender voice.

She felt her stomach drop. She sighed softly again and tried not to meet his eyes.

"Please, Sakura-san," Lee begged. "You won't regret it. I'll give you everything you want."

Sakura did not speak.

"I'll make sure you never cry again, I promise. I'll protect you until I die."

He had said these words to her so many times. In the past she would be filled with a warm feeling of security. But tonight, they made her body ache.

"Why?" Sakura asked him desperately, "Why me? I...I don't deserve it."

The instant she asked that question, she regretted it.

There was an awkward pause but Sakura knew what was coming.

"Because..."

_Don't say it..._Sakura shut her eyes and pleaded silently.

"I..."

_Stop...Lee-kun...Don't..._

"I love you."

Sakura felt as if she were going to collapse. The tears that had been growing all this time finally fell down her cheeks.

Lee pressed her hands gently. "Do you love me?" he asked softly.

Sakura's heart skipped a beat. She had never even asked herself that question before. When she had left on her mission, she had believed in the possibility. His tenderness and sincerity were overwhelming. She felt so safe and protected around him. And, of course, there was no doubt he would treat her right.

Sakura appreciated him. He was definitely someone she could grow to love.

But even as she was debating these feelings, there was no doubt in her mind she was still going on her mission tonight. She had tried to convince herself the previous day that she was just going to save Sasuke because she felt compelled to as his former teammate. But now, she realized that as hard as she had tried in these past few days, she couldn't forget about him. Her efforts had been concentrated on pushing him out of his mind, but that only made her painfully aware of how important he was to her.

The answer became clear. If she could leave Lee so she possibly love him? In the way he deserved to be loved?

"I..."

Lee's face was full with nervous anticipation.

"Yes..." Sakura said breathlessly.

Then her eyes closed again eyes. She couldn't bear to look at his face.

"...but not in the way you want me to."

Sakura felt the hands that were supporting hers suddenly fall limp.

She opened her eyes, observing Lee's slouched figure with his head turned down. He looked like he had just been stabbed.

Despite her pain, Sakura wanted to look at his face. She wanted to make him understand that it had nothing to do with him and the way he treated her. "Lee-kun...please...look at me."

She cursed herself for hurting him so much. It would be so much easier for everyone if she returned his feelings, but there was no way she could deny it now. Her heart still belonged to only one man—a man who had never acknowledged her.

"Lee-kun..." Sakura was worried.

After a minute, Lee finally raised his dejected eyes to hers. They were empty and it scared her. Sakura trembled slightly.

She still held his hands and tried to rub them, but this elicited no reaction from him. He just kept his heartbreaking stare on her.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered.

Sakura finally stopped and gently released their connection. Just then the clock chimed.

_Ten o'clock._

Sakura didn't want to leave like this, but if she didn't get moving now, she might not make it in time. She shook her head sadly.

Lee still remained silent. Sakura gave him another forlorn look, and then she said quietly, "I have to go."

She hesitated, but after another pause, she made up her mind and tore herself away from him quickly.

Her hand wiped the tears away from her face and settled over her mouth, controlling a sob. She quickly opened the balcony door and the beating of music became louder. Pushing her way around bodies, she found the exit and hurried down the stairs. Once she was outside, she started running down the street, the kunai holster on her thigh rubbing against her other leg.


	18. Chapter 18

When Sakura reached the end of the main street, the din of the festival revelry quieted. Turning back momentarily to take a glance at what she had left, Sakura became weighed down with emotion. Her conversation with Lee was fresh on her mind and the drying tears chilled her face in the cool night air.

The danger of her journey was real now, and it scared her. Despite having thought about it throughout that day and the day before, she suddenly felt very aware of being alone. Clutching her jacket closer to her body, Sakura sighed and walked toward the Hokage's building.

She climbed the stairs to the glass doors and pressed a finger to the scanner, unlocking the door. Although all chuunin and jounin Konoha shinobi could get into the government building, each individual door inside was locked for restricted access and guarded on most occasions. Tonight there were apparently no guards on duty on the first floor, which gave Sakura a bit of hope.

As she descended the stairs to the basement with quick and light steps, her heart started pounding faster. In her mind she could see the antidote room, the familiar doors and the jounin guard in front of it.

Before she rounded the last corner, Sakura blushed uncomfortably as she straightened her dress and hair. Taking a deep breath, she turned and prepared herself mentally to talk her way into getting the antidote. She would have to be damn convincing for him to allow her to run off with something to cure an S-class criminal.

However, when she started down the hallway, she noticed no one was there. Her heart skipped a beat. Was she lucky enough that the Hokage had not assigned anyone to guard the antidotes that night?

Sakura started running, no longer caring about the sound of her shoes squeaking against the floor. Then something came into view; it was lying on the ground. She nearly tripped over herself when she discovered that it was a body lying face down, right outside the door of the room she wanted to get into.

Her pace slowed to a walk as she cautiously made her way toward the body. She knelt down beside it and took note of the jounin vest on the back.

_So there had been a guard tonight..._

Sakura struggled to turn the shinobi face up. She didn't recognize him, but he had a Konoha forehead protector. Her heart started to race but she tried to concentrate and feel his neck for a pulse.

She sighed with relief when she found one. Examining his body, she noted that there were no visible physical wounds. He was just unconscious and would probably wake up in a few hours. Sakura was a bit curious as to why he fell over, but there were many potential reasons. Maybe he drank too much before his shift, or maybe he was just tired.

Sakura stood up and wondered at her luck as she stepped over the body and punched in the combination for the door.

Sure enough, the door open and she felt a jolt of excitement. Her mission had been successful so far. Now that the guard was taken care of, she could sneak out a few bottles without signing them out and without the Hokage noticing. At least until they checked inventory in a week.

With a turn of the timer light switch, the fluorescents flickered on and Sakura found herself in a large room with aisles and aisles of bottles. She swallowed hard as she started following the signs.

Her fingers brushed across the labels of countless bottles before reaching for the ones she needed. Her mind was completely focused as she pulled a few from where they rested. She didn't need that many, just the antidote, maybe a few blood clotting pills, and something for the pain.

_I'll also need a lot of gauze..._

Sakura was reading the pain medication instructions while walking down an aisle on the way toward the door that led to the medical supplies closet. She put it away in her purse and was about to open the door to the closet when she noticed it was already open.

Sakura stopped dead in her tracks and felt a crippling sense of dread come over her.

_Somebody's here..._

She searched her mind for an excuse, but couldn't find a good reason why she would have to come to the basement during the festival. If it was another jounin guard, this would most likely be the end of her journey.

Gathering her courage, she stammered, "Is...is anyone h...here?" Her voice sounded harsh against the silence.

_Maybe it's no one...maybe they forgot to close the door..._ Sakura thought hopefully.

As she moved closer to the closet, she heard heavy breathing and her hopes fell. Somebody _was_ here.

_He hasn't seen me yet...I can still run..._

Sakura was about to bolt out of the basement when she heard a pained groan. She stopped in her tracks and the expression on her face became conflicted. After some hesitation, her sense of duty as a medical ninja got the better of her.

_It sounds like someone's hurt..._

Sakura took a deep breath and walked steadily until she was a foot away from the door. She hesitated. Then she told herself that maybe this injured person could help her identify what had caused the guard outside to collapse.

Her shaking hand grabbed the knob and swung it open quickly so the person was in full view.

Seeing the identity of the injured person made it instantly clear why there was an unconscious jounin lying outside.

Sakura stumbled a few steps back. Her breath quickened and she felt herself getting dizzy. There was no mistaking it.

"Sasuke..." she whispered.

He lay curled on the floor, deathly pale, and she could see that it took him all of what remained of his power to keep himself from screaming. His clothes were filthy and his face was screwed up in pain, one hand clutching his other forearm which was bleeding profusely.

Sakura had hoped to see him eventually, but not now, not here, and definitely not like this. A million thoughts ran through her head as she realized how much this changed things.

She forced herself to calm down and deal with things one at a time. Now was not the moment to reminisce about their past meetings. First, she had to do something about the pain.

Sakura walked into the modestly sized closet and sat down next to where his head was twisted and pressed against the ground. He was biting his lip so hard that it was bleeding as well.

"Sasuke," she said, her voice cracking. "Sasuke, it's me, Sakura. I'm going to help you."

He didn't respond; she wondered if he even knew someone else was here with him. Sakura turned his face away from the ground. His eyes opened now, slightly, but there was no sign of recognition, only crippling pain.

Sakura's shivering hands twisted off the cap of the pain medication forcefully and shook out two large, white pills. Then she bent over and tried to prop him up with her arm.

His mouth was clenched shut and his whole body was trembling.

"Sasuke...here's something for the pain," Sakura whispered. When he didn't respond, she tried to push the pills though his lips. His mouth still wouldn't open.

"Sasuke...please take these pills. They will help you," Sakura pleaded. Suddenly the sight of him in such torture made her eyes start to water again. "Come on, you can do it," Sakura choked out.

She used her hand to try to pry open his jaw. It finally opened, releasing a piercing cry, and Sakura dropped the pills into his mouth. Then she pushed her hand against his mouth and forced him to swallow. She closed her eyes, feeling his pain in the pit of her stomach while his body convulsed in her arms.

After a few minutes, Sasuke relaxed slightly and Sakura opened her wet eyes. He was sweaty, bloody, and breathing heavily, but the pills seemed to give him some relief. His mouth was dry and he couldn't speak.

Sakura's face tightened into a slight smile as she looked into his face, and then she proceeded to examine the arm.

She noticed he had tried to open the wound but not had done it right, just as the ANBU captain had predicted. The gash was fresh and blood was leaking out at an alarming pace.

Sakura stood up momentarily to grab some gauze and towels out of some boxes. Then she proceeded to clean and dress the wound. As she was wrapping it up, she heard him call her name.

"Sakura..."

His voice was weak. She was glad he recognized her and had a countless number of questions to ask him, but now wasn't the time.

"Shhh...we have to get out of here before anyone sees us."

After she finished dressing the wound and cleaning the blood on the floor, Sakura helped him up to a sitting position. Now the question remained, where should they go? She couldn't take him far in his condition, so into the woods in the direction of his place was out of the question. It was dangerous, but she had to take him back to her apartment. There was no other way.

"Sasuke," she whispered quietly while putting a hand on his stomach, "I'm taking you to my apartment. You need to lie down."

He was helpless in his condition, so he couldn't refuse.

Slowly, she lifted him up into a standing position. She put an arm around his waist and supported his arm over her shoulder with her hand. They hobbled out of the closet and Sakura kicked the door shut behind her.

Slowly, they made their way out of the basement and the Hokage building. The night air was just as chilly as before. Sakura could see the lights of the festival about a mile away.

Her grip tightened around him as she concentrated chakra to her feet.

"We're taking the rooftops," Sakura said softly.

A moment later, a barely conscious Sasuke felt himself lifted into the air, traveling quickly towards Sakura's apartment.

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When they got to her door, Sakura became aware that this situation was very bad. Sasuke had come to Konoha for the antidote instead of letting it come to him, and not being able to leave, he would have to do everything possible to avoid being seen.

Well, things could always be worse. Luckily the festival tonight had distracted everyone and kept him out of view for now.

She hurriedly unlocked the door and dragged their bodies inside.

Sasuke's body suddenly went limp, perhaps from relief that he was finally out of the streets. Sakura had to use all her strength to guide him to her bedroom. When they got there he fell onto the bed heavily and winced in pain. Sakura took off his shoes and placed them to the side. Then she sat on the edge of the bed.

Now that their bodies had stopped moving, there was an awkward silence. The initial surprise and rush of adrenaline was over and Sakura began realizing what she had done. She was hiding an S-class criminal in her apartment, and he was lying on her bed.

"Sakura..."

She turned her face to his, noticing for the first time that it was incredibly dirty. She furrowed her brows. "Let me get something to clean you up...and a glass of water." This at least would give her something to do and help them avoid any uncomfortable silences.

Sakura left and reappeared holding a shallow tub with a towel in it and the cup of water. She put the tub on the nightstand and put an arm under his neck to prop him up to drink the water. He took a few sips silently before tilting his head back again.

Sasuke cleared his throat and stared at the ceiling while Sakura reached for the towel in the tub and wrung out the excess warm water.

"Hold still," she said quietly. Sasuke felt the towel rub gently against his face, first on his forehead, and eventually down to the clotted blood on his lips.

As she rubbed the dirt off of his face, Sasuke kept his eyes focused on Sakura. She seemed concentrated on her task; if she was nervous she didn't show it.

When she finished wiping his face, Sakura turned to rinse the towel again and started on his neck. Suddenly she felt his hand grip her wrist, stopping her. His grasp was surprisingly strong considering his injuries.

"You don't have to," Sasuke said firmly. "You didn't have to do any of this."

Sakura pressed her lips together and smiled slightly. "I don't want you to get my bed dirty."

"I'll sleep on the couch," he replied.

"How are you going to get there?"

"I..." Sasuke sighed. The reality was he could barely move and was under her total control. The pain medication had numbed his body. It had taken him all his strength to grip her wrist just then. He closed his eyes soberly, frustrated with his own disability.

"How long is it going to take?" he said, wondering when he would be back to normal again.

Sakura sighed as she resumed wiping the dirt off his arms. "A few days...maybe even a week."

"I can't wait that long."

Sakura remained silent, summoning all her self control not to stroke the hand that she was cleaning. She wanted to be with him when he needed her, but she didn't know how long they could go on without being found out. A week seemed like a long time to her as well.

"I can't speed up the process," she said as she set the towel in the tub again. "But we can start tonight. First I'm going to try to send the poison out of your main body."

Sakura took off her jacket and threw it to the side. She also removed her kunai holster from her leg and placed it on the floor.

Sakura got on to the bed and straddled his thighs, purposefully avoiding his hips. Whether or not he was surprised she didn't know; she kept her gaze on his chest. Sakura blushed slightly, suddenly very aware that she was still wearing a dress.

"This may feel a little strange at first and you may get lightheaded," she warned before placing two hands over his chest and stealing a glance at his face. "Are you ready?"

Sasuke nodded and closed his eyes again while Sakura started concentrating a blue chakra to her hands.

After a few minutes into the process, Sakura found herself tired and out of breath. She barely held on long enough to finish, realizing midway then that she was not used to healing such a high level ninja. He required much more chakra than she recalled using on others. When she completed the session, Sakura moved her legs to one side and collapsed down on the bed with her back to him.

"Are you okay?" Sasuke asked a little roughly.

Sakura panted. For a moment she couldn't even speak. Eventually she said between gasps, "Yes...I just need a moment."

"I didn't mean to drain all your chakra."

"I know."

Their tired bodies lay still for a few minutes.

Sasuke's voice broke the silence. "What were you doing in the basement?"

"It isn't obvious?" Sakura whispered. Sasuke didn't answer for awhile.

"I thought---" He stopped abruptly, deciding against touching on the subject of their last meeting.

Sakura knew what he was going to say and didn't want to talk about it. After a few more minutes, she sat up slowly again and said quietly, "I'm going to change and go to sleep."

She slid off the bed, grabbed some things from her dresser, and proceeded to the bathroom. When she passed by her window she drew the blinds. Before turning off the lights to the bedroom, she asked him as casually as she could, "Do you want me to sleep on the couch?"

Sasuke looked at the ceiling. It didn't seem right to kick her out of her own bed.

"It's up to you."

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A/N: Hmm...I wonder which one she chose...


	19. Chapter 19

When Sakura woke up from her terrible sleep the next morning, she was filled with a feeling of dread. She didn't want to face the day and all the uncertainty it promised, so she took a shower and cleaned herself up slowly. Sasuke, on the other hand, slept soundly as if he hadn't slept in days.

Waking him was not something Sakura wanted to do. When his face was relaxed, he looked uncharacteristically peaceful and trusting. However, Sakura knew he had to get his pills in the morning. She sat on the side of the bed.

"Sasuke," she whispered as she shook his shoulder gently.

His eyes squinted and opened momentarily. Then he winced in pain and buried his face in the pillow again.

"You need to take your medicine," she said as she reached for the pills. Sasuke reluctantly turned face up again and tried to sit up. It took him a lot of effort.

"I need to get out of here," he said as he clutched his injured arm, noticing his surroundings.

"You can barely move," Sakura pointed out.

"You shouldn't have helped me. You're going to get in trouble, and I'm going to get myself killed."

"Not if we're careful." Her certain tone convinced even herself and gave her more confidence. "You should have a little chakra now; you can transform into someone else while we're outside. No one will know." She pushed the pills his way and he finally took them.

"Can you stand up?" She asked as she stood up and pulled back the covers.

Sasuke slowly shifted his legs over the edge of the bed. Sakura bent down, putting one hand on his waist and another on his shoulder. She supported him into a standing position, but his body was heavy.

"I can do it," he said as he let go of her. He spoke the words assertively but he knew it would be a challenge to even stand on his own. He stumbled slightly when she did, but managed to regain his balance.

"Where's the bathroom?"

Sakura stood up and went to her dresser, pulling out the old clothes that he had given her before. She offered them to him. His face gave a look of surprise. It reminded him of their last meeting at his place in the forest. He hadn't expected her to keep them all this time.

"Turn right," she said.

He hesitated before he left. "Do you have something you need to do today?"

"We don't have missions the day after the festival. But---"Sakura paused. "I always go to the memorial in the morning."

"You can go, I'll be fine here," Sasuke responded.

Sakura searched his face for any hint of sadness or understanding, but there was none.

_He still doesn't know..._

"Okay," she said quietly, starting to turn away. Then she stopped. Before she knew what she was getting herself into, she said, "I wanted you to come with me."

Sasuke, who was heading out the door at a sluggish pace, paused and looked back at her. "Why?"

Sakura leaned back on her dresser for strength. "Because," she said weakly, looking into his cold eyes. "It's someone we both knew."

Sasuke furrowed his eyebrows. She had his attention now. "What do you mean?"

Sakura took a deep breath and her gaze fell to the floor. For a minute she couldn't speak. The name was on the tip of her tongue, but she hesitated, wondering what his reaction would be. She could still keep it a secret; she didn't have to say it.

Sasuke grew impatient. "Who are you talking about?"

Sakura wanted him to know, but she wondered if he would care. But then, she told herself, if he didn't, it would be easier for her to think of him as a stranger and let him go when he finally left for good. Maybe it would be for the better...

"Kakashi-sensei," Sakura said in a barely audible whisper.

The silence that followed betrayed his shock. There was a long pause before Sakura lifted her gaze back onto his face.

His eyes were closed. When they opened again, he lowered his head. Sasuke turned around and started limping slowly toward the bathroom.

Sakura felt weak from the revelation and for a moment didn't know what to make of his reaction.

Suddenly she heard his voice.

"Give me 10 minutes."

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The streets were deserted and full of signs of the festivities of the previous night. After much effort and with Sakura's help, Sasuke managed to clasp his hands together in a seal and transform into the jounin guard he incapacitated.

To avoid being seen, Sakura held his body again with its strange new proportions and leapt to the rooftops, supporting him on their way to the shinobi memorial.

When they finally arrived, Sasuke pushed her hands gently and she released them from his body. He steadied himself while staring at the memorial without a word. Then, Sakura observed him hobbling toward the rock with one hand grabbing his arm, which looked perfectly healthy in his transformed state.

It was difficult to for her to watch him; Sakura wanted nothing more than to see his true form but knew that that would be too dangerous.

With some effort, Sasuke walked right up to the monument and traced his fingers across the many names. They were all honored by Konoha as shinobi who had given their life in the line of duty. He realized then that when he died, his name would not be carved on this plaque. His death, when it came, would be a secret, scribbled in some report and locked up in a file. Perhaps some people would feel relief, but no one would miss him.

Most of the names were foreign to him, but eventually he passed the one that stung his fingers. He withdrew them suddenly and looked intently at the carving.

_Hatake Kakashi._

For a minute he just stared at the name. It was just another scratch in the marble. A scratch. That was supposed to justify a life sacrificed for the village. That was supposed to make it all right.

Slowly, Sasuke bent his body into a kneeling position, using his hands as support.

He couldn't describe the feeling in his stomach as he lowered his head in a low bow. He hadn't thought of his old sensei in years. On his journeys he'd always use the chidori, but he never once thought about the person who had taught it to him. Maybe it was because if he did, he would feel guilty, as if he had failed his teacher somehow. Kakashi had hoped this technique would help his student protect those who were important to him; instead, Sasuke had used it for his own selfish, murderous purposes.

Sasuke knew as a good shinobi he couldn't let any emotional attachment hinder his path. But just this once, he felt compelled to pay his respects. It was easier in someone else's body.

After a soft sigh, he supported himself back up to the standing position.

A few moments later, he heard the rustling of grass.

Someone's hand slid down his forearm to hold his, and he didn't withdraw.

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The remainder of the day Sasuke spent bedridden in Sakura's apartment while she went out, trying to keep a normal façade. He had a good long while to think about the last few days. The pain of his injury had been unbearable, but now he felt his strength slowly returning. At this rate, he could try to get out of Konoha in two days time. Although it was boring to stay in the apartment, he didn't want to walk the same streets as he did as a child, even when disguised as a different person. It was too uncomfortable and he definitely did not want to confront any past acquaintances.

He took the pills every few hours according to Sakura's directions and studied his wound carefully. With some effort, he could walk, but his right hand still wouldn't budge on its own.

Sasuke didn't snoop in her things while she was gone, but as he was wandering around one photograph on her dresser caught his attention. When he picked it up, he noted with a frown how young they all looked. Sasuke was wearing his old blue and white outfit and standing on Sakura's right with a serious expression. A young blonde kid was glaring at him. Sakura's face was turned into a delightful squeal while their sensei stood in the back with his arm around all of them.

It was so long ago.

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When Sakura got back in the evening, she looked tired. She held something in a bag and placed it on the nightstand. It smelled like ramen.

Sasuke sat up slowly and thought he should say something.

"How was your day." It was more of a statement than a question.

Sakura sighed as she took off her jacket and hung it in the closet. She said, "It was alright. I went to check on some friends. I kept Naruto company. He was throwing up all morning. I don't think he remembered a single thing he did last night, which might be a good thing..."

Sasuke flinched at hearing his old teammate's name and tried not to wonder what kind of person Naruto had become.

Sakura walked towards him and sat by his side again.

"You haven't eaten."

Sakura reached in the plastic bag, revealing two containers of ramen with soup. She opened one of them and snapped the chopsticks. After gently swishing the noodles around, she raised the chopsticks and blew on them lightly.

"Careful, it's hot," she said as she held up the food for him.

"Sakura..." Sasuke studied her. She seemed to move by instinct, like she did this everyday. He suddenly realized that if it weren't for her, he'd still be collapsed on the floor in the basement. Either that or captured, tortured, or dead...

They way he looked her made her blush slightly.

"Come on," she said softly.

Sasuke hesitated. "Sakura, one of my hands works. You don't have to feed me."

"You might spill it. It's okay, just eat it." Sakura tried to ignore the soreness growing in her arms.

Sasuke reluctantly took a bite. Actually, he found himself rather hungry, and in a few minutes, he easily finished the rest of the ramen.

"What about you?" he asked, noting the other container.

Sakura capped the empty ramen cup and said with a slight smile, "I'll go to the kitchen." She didn't really want to eat with him staring at her like that.

"When I'm finished I'll come back and change your bandages."

She stole a glance at him before exiting slowly out of the room.

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As Sakura was midway through her dinner and poking at her ramen in the kitchen, she heard the doorbell ring followed by irregular pounding on the door. A jolt of shock ran up her spine.

_Who can it be at this hour..._

Sakura put down her chopsticks. Straightening up, she walked slowly to answer the door, expecting to give an excuse that would make whoever it was leave her alone for the night.

As she opened it, she was surprised by a weight that collapsed on top of her. Sakura crumbled but tried to straighten up and get a look at the person in her arms.

"Lee-kun?"

"Lee-kun!" she cried again, "What's wrong with you!?" Sakura dragged his body inside and kicked the door closed. She eased him onto the couch.

"What's wrong with you?" She repeated. Sakura tried steadying his face in her hands and looking into it. With a sharp pain, she noticed his round eyes were half closed and there was the bitter scent of alcohol in his breath.

"Saa....Sakura-ssan..."

"Lee-kun...you weren't drinking...were you?" The answer was obvious.

"Sakura-ssan..." Lee swallowed hard and his body swayed, "I'm ssorrry...so...sorry. Pleasse..."

"What? Sorry for what, Lee? You didn't do anything wrong!" Sakura tried to get him to lie down on the couch.

She tried to calm her nerves as his body rested against her couch. There were two men in her apartment, neither of them who were supposed to be there nor in the condition to leave.

"Let me get you some coffee," Sakura said as she started to get up.

"No...no, don't leave me," Lee pleaded as he held on to her wrist.

Sakura sat down again, looking empathetically at his inebriated body.

"Lee...what happened?" she asked gently.

"I don't want you to leave me again...I never want you to leave me again...Never..." His grip tightened on her wrist.

Sakura felt her body get heavier. She tried to wriggle out of his grasp in vain.

"Lee-kun..."

"Please stay with me, Sssakura-san."

He finally let her wrist go and Sakura rubbed it in pain. She knew Lee would never hurt her on purpose. He wasn't in control of his body or his emotions in this state.

Sakura sighed. "It's okay, Lee. I'm here."

"Pleeeasse..." Lee drifted off, staring at her with glazed eyes.

Sakura nodded her head sadly. She got up and lifted his legs onto the couch. Then she sat down on the floor leaning her weight against them.

"I'm not going anywhere."

As she watched him fall asleep slowly, Sakura wondered what to do. She wanted to stay with Lee, but she knew Sasuke's bandages had to be changed and she still had to heal him with her chakra.

Studying his closed eyes and heavy breathing, Sakura decided it was safe to check up on Sasuke in the bedroom. She stood up slowly, sensitive to any change in Lee's expression. There was none.

Quickly and softly, she jogged to the bedroom. It was dark and Sakura could only see Sasuke's shadow.

Closing the bedroom door behind her, she walked toward the bed.

She heard his voice whisper, "Who is it?"

"A friend."

"What does he want?"

Sakura hesitated. "He just wanted to see me. It's okay. He's asleep. I'm going to use my chakra to heal you now." She switched on a small lamp. She climbed on the bed on top of him, resuming the position she was in last night. This time the thrill was smaller as the danger of the situation was heightened.

"Are you ready," she whispered.

"Yes."

Sakura closed her eyes and concentrated her chakra over his chest again. Now that she knew what she was getting into, she dreaded the feeling of total exhaustion she'd experience when she was through.

After a few minutes, Sakura completed the session and felt her body fall forward in exhaustion. She turned her body last minute to prevent herself from collapsing on top of Sasuke.

After she sunk into the mattress, she lay on the bed completely still, breathing heavily. For a minute they were silent.

Suddenly she heard Sasuke speak. "What was that noise..." he hissed.

"What noise..." Sakura said breathlessly. Her sweating body was pressed against the bed; she could barely move. She hadn't heard anything.

"That!" he whispered harshly. Sasuke sat up and summoned a surge of energy to stand. He took out a kunai from Sakura's holster by the bed with his left hand. His body was still in pain, but he wouldn't go down without a fight.

Before Sakura could answer, she felt a chill run up her spine as she heard the door open slowly. She watched helplessly as she saw Lee's unstable figure stagger into her bedroom.

"Sssakura...san..." His eyes were still half closed, but Sakura saw them widen when his gaze met Sasuke's cold, piercing stare.


	20. Chapter 20

This could not be good. Sakura had heard rumors that Lee fought with an uncanny vigor when he was drunk, but Sasuke was fully conscious and not exactly the most merciful fighter...

"Don't!" Sakura's voice squeaked out.

Both men were frozen, facing each other.

"You are..." Lee began, narrowing his eyes.

Luckily for Sakura and Sasuke, Lee passed out right then and there. He had drunk too much even for his drunken fist to be effective. Lee's body started to fall, but Sasuke threw the kunai so that it caught against the wall, piercing through the clothing near the shoulder of the other shinobi.

Sasuke walked toward Lee slowly and grabbed him around the throat.

"Sasuke!" Sakura gasped.

Lee's glazed eyes opened slightly in the pain.

"Sasuke, don't hurt him! He can't fight!" Sakura cried out as she tried helplessly to lift her body.

She saw Lee's body suddenly turn limp and her heart jumped.

"Sasuke!" she screamed as she finally forced the strength back into her muscles and lifted herself to a sitting position. She was trembling slightly.

"What did you do?"

Sasuke's left hand removed itself from Lee's neck before he collapsed down to the floor himself. Sakura got off the bed as quickly as she could and knelt down next to Sasuke's body.

He was breathing heavily with his eyes closed. "He's not dead...just unconscious. He won't wake up until tomorrow and when he does...he won't remember anything...most likely."

Sasuke swallowed hard. Using the Sharingan in his current state was a bad decision. He felt like all the strength that he had slowly regained these past few days was instantly drained.

Sakura almost felt like crying from relief. "Thank you," she said softly.

Sasuke read something in her expression.

"He's important to you..."

She whispered, "Yes."

Sakura slipped her arm under his neck and tried to lift him up to a sitting position again.

Sasuke hunched over and sighed heavily. His breathing was slower now, but he still felt fatigued.

"Take him to the bed, Sakura."

"Where are you going to sleep?"

"I have to go."

Sakura felt a slight pang in her chest, but realized that he couldn't make it far in his condition.

"Your body won't let you."

Sasuke used his healthy hand to rub his face roughly in frustration. Maybe he could have managed to escape with his minimal strength before, but he definitely couldn't now after using the Sharingan.

"I'll take the couch then," he said in a low voice.

"You can't, he'll see you when he wakes up in the morning. I'll take him to the couch, and when we get back we'll think of something."

Sakura stood up and walked over to Lee, pulling the kunai out of the wall and supporting his limp body. She managed to drag him to the couch and set him down as lightly as possible. Then she returned to the bedroom closet for an extra pillow and blanket.

After she was finished setting Lee up in the living room, she returned to find Sasuke sitting at the edge of the bed. The light, supported by a weak lamp, was still dim and Sakura could see the shadows defining the features on his face.

She stood and walked up to him, remembering the other thing she had to do.

Sakura said softly, "Your arm needs to be cleaned and the bandages have to be changed. Come with me to the bathroom."

"Sakura..." He did not lift his gaze to meet her eyes.

"Come on," she repeated gently.

There was a pause.

"Sakura...you could have left me there last night. I'm not afraid of dying, you know."

"I know," Sakura whispered.

"I didn't ask you to do anything for me."

Sakura remained silent, looking at his arm.

"Someone's going to find out. When they do, are you sure you're not going to regret this?"

"I know I won't. I'm not afraid either, Sasuke-kun. But the sooner you get better..." Sakura paused. This was the only way to persuade him to accept her help. "The sooner you can leave."

Sasuke sighed and let Sakura pull him up again and lead him to the bathroom. Once they were there, Sakura sat up on the bathroom counter and arranged her supplies to the side.

Sasuke winced slightly as she unwrapped the bandages and revealed a deep cut. As she concentrated on his arm, Sakura felt more comfortable going to work and relying on her years of training as a medical nin.

Sakura wiped off the excess blood with a damp towel and then uncapped a bottle of disinfectant.

"Does this sting?" she asked him as she started going over the wound with disinfectant.

It stung like hell. "It's fine," he responded through slightly clenched teeth.

"Tonight I sensed less poison in your body. That's good." Sakura changed medicine and began rubbing it in lightly with her fingers. She kept her eyes focused on her task and didn't notice Sasuke's eyes focused on her the entire time.

He studied her attentive expression and her skilled hands working in a well-rehearsed pattern. Sakura's hair was pulled back to keep it out of her way, but the hold was loose and a few rebellious strands fell into her face. She swept them away with her forearm in vain. As much as she'd like to, she couldn't use her hands; one set of fingers was busy and dirtied with a mixture of medicine and blood. Her other hand was steadying his arm in a gentle grip at his wrist.

Sasuke noticed her annoyance and decided that since both her hands were helping him, he ought to offer her an extra set. Without saying a word, he raised his left hand and lightly brushed the loose hair out of her face and tucked it to the side. His hand rested by her head for a moment.

Sakura stopped suddenly and looked up, surprised by his touch. His dark eyes met hers for a second and then, a little embarrassed, she quickly turned back to her task. If she was unaware of his stare before, she was completely conscious of it now. Luckily the rest of cleaning and bandaging was second nature to her because she found it hard to concentrate.

After stripping the gauze from its packaging, she deftly wrapped up his arm again and secured it in place. When she finished, she smiled slightly and fixed her gaze at a corner of the bathroom. Sasuke took a few steps back so she could hop off the counter.

He grabbed his freshly wrapped arm as he watched Sakura cleaning up her materials and throwing away the trash. When she finished, she followed him into the bedroom.

The most recent events of the evening were exhausting for both of them. However, they still had to discuss what to do with Lee. Sakura lay on her back about a foot away from Sasuke. They were both staring at the ceiling in the dark.

"Do you know where he lives?"

Sakura sighed. "Yes."

Sasuke was silent.

"I don't want him to see you in the morning. I guess I should try to take him home now. That way maybe tomorrow he'll think this was all a dream."

When he still didn't respond, Sakura asked, "Is there any chance of him waking up while I bring him back?"

"No."

Sakura paused. "He will be okay...right?"

"Yes."

Sakura sat up in the dark and the covers rustled slightly as she got out of bed and looked at the clock.

_Nine o' clock._ She hesitated.

"I'm going now," she announced as she walked to the bedroom door, wondering whether or not he even cared.

"Sakura..."

Something about the tone of his voice made her stop.

"...I would help you but..."

Sakura smiled slightly.

"It's okay. You should rest here," she said gently as she took a step outside.

"Sakura..."

Sasuke sat up on the bed and looked at her figure standing by the doorway. It was only a shadow.

Sakura paused again and looked back at him.

"...Thank you."

She turned her head away and was glad for the dark that hid the content blush on her cheeks.

"You're welcome," she said softly as she walked out of the room.

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The next day, after a good night's rest, Sasuke felt his health gradually recovering. Although his right arm was still not completely functional, the poison seemed to have left his main body. With luck he could leave tomorrow night.

After visiting the memorial with Sakura very early in the morning, Sasuke spent another day hanging around the apartment while Sakura ran some errands.

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Lee, on the other hand, woke up in a sweat late morning. Sitting up suddenly, he quickly looked around at his surroundings. Nothing had changed. He was in his apartment, everything was in its right place, and the familiar clock on the wall ticked loudly.

But there were some things he didn't understand. Why was he sleeping in his clothes? Why did he have a vague feeling of anxiety in his stomach?

Shaking his head, Lee tried to remember what he had done last night. A distinct, splitting pain was his answer. Judging from the extent of the headache, he must have gone way overboard with the alcohol. But how did he end up in his apartment if he was so sloshed the previous night? He remembered Neji once telling him never to drink again because when he did he would barely be able to move and would inevitably pass out somewhere.

But why had he been drinking? Suddenly he felt a different part of his body ache. He grabbed his chest in realization.

_Sakura-san._

The conversation they had on the balcony at the party two nights ago invaded his mind. He had confessed his feelings for her openly. Seeing her so distracted had upset him and he wanted to let her know he would do anything and everything for her to be happy again.

_But it had not gone how I hoped it would..._

After she ran away from him that night, he felt paralyzed at first, and eventually went home dejected and alone. Dissatisfied with himself, he had finally resorted to drowning away his troubles for the bulk of the next day.

_Then what did I do..._

Lee got out of bed and began changing out of his clothes. As he took off his shirt, he noticed a hole in the shoulder area. He passed his fingers through it.

_That's odd..._

It wasn't a rip on the seam, it seemed like it was sliced or poked with something.

A flash of red jolted his memory. Lee shook his head.

_Red? What does that mean?_

He tried to ignore it, but it wouldn't leave his mind. That color was the last thing he had seen before he had passed out for good. Lee shut his eyes and attempted to travel back to that moment despite his splitting headache. He remembered...a door? A couch?

_Wait...I know this place...Sakura-san..._

Lee felt a feeling of dread as he began recalling fragments of last night. He slapped his face, realizing that he must have made a fool of himself. What was he thinking, going to see Sakura in that condition? She had made it clear she didn't care about him the way he did for her...was he trying to win her back? Sweep her off her feet by his utter drunkenness? The way he acted, he wouldn't be surprised if he had lost Sakura as a friend as well.

But that insight didn't satisfy the indistinguishable anxiety in his stomach. There was more...but what?

_Red...red...Was Sakura wearing red? No..._

_Was I bleeding?_ Lee checked himself for any injuries. _No..._

Suddenly, he saw it clearly in a second of recollection.

_Eyes. Red eyes._

Lee's own opened wide.

_Red eyes._

He didn't know anyone with such a feature, but he was sure now they were the last thing he saw. Shaking his head again, Lee proceeded to change into new clothes for the day. He would see Hokage-sama first thing in the morning and request the earliest mission. He hoped he hadn't slept in too late. A good, long assignment would be just the thing to keep him away from all these troubling thoughts and feelings.

When he exited his apartment and started to make his way to the Hokage's office, he saw a few familiar shinobi and greeted them. He noticed Ino first, who almost ran into him as she was screaming and chasing after a few kids. A smile crept to his face as he recalled the days of academy. He had been teased for not having any skill in ninjustu or genjutsu, but he eventually found success by putting in ten times more effort than anyone else. He thought proudly about how he was the one who was a jounin now, not the bullies in academy. But, of course, there were some geniuses that he could not defeat. In the academy, it had been Neji. His pompous attitude was completely infuriating back then. But during the Chuunin exam he had encountered a whole slew of geniuses with innate powers. That Gaara of the Sand...he wondered what he was up to now. And the one that all the girls would go crazy for...Uchiha Sasuke. His bloodlimit was...Sharingan wasn't it?

Suddenly, Lee stopped in the middle of the street. He felt like he had been socked in the stomach. For a minute he couldn't breathe.

_Could it be...?_

_But..._

Lee's eyes grew wide and he moved toward the side of the street and collapsed against the wall. The more he thought about it, the more sure he was. It had to be.

_Red eyes._

_Sharingan..._

He had fought against them so many years ago, but they were hard to forget. Gai-sensei had taught him about the special bloodlimit and how to counter its powers with speed and taijutsu.

_But last night..._

Suddenly he felt his heart skip a beat.

_Sakura-san!_

Lee refused to believe that she was hurt, but there was always a possibility. Though he made a fool of himself last night, he had to know if she was alright. He forced chakra to his feet and rushed intently to Sakura's apartment.

After knocking on the door many times, he heard no response. He actually thought about knocking down the door, but eventually convinced himself not to. He stood with his fists knocking every few seconds.

Suddenly he felt a tap on his shoulder.

"Yo, fuzzy eyebrows. What are you doing?"

Lee turned around to see Naruto wearing a curious expression on his face.

"Naruto-kun."

Then Lee remembered that Naruto had been Sakura's teammate and was one of her best friends.

"Naruto-kun, have you seen Sakura-san today?" He tried to keep the panic out of his voice.

"I saw her shopping for groceries this morning. Why?"

"How was she?"

Naruto shrugged. "Alright I guess. I just said hello."

"Was she hurt?"

Naruto eyed Lee suspiciously. "What? Why would she be?"

Lee stiffened and decided not to reveal what he had assumed was true about Uchiha Sasuke. Not until he was absolutely sure.

"It's nothing. I just...had a feeling."

Naruto put an arm around an anxious Lee and led him away from Sakura's apartment.

He said in a low, confiding voice, "Listen, Lee, f you want to know the way to win her heart, you just have to ask the expert."

Lee gave him a strange look. Hadn't Naruto failed miserably to do just that for many a year as a young genin?

"Who?"

Naruto was offended. "Me of course!"

"Oh."

"You want to know the secret?"

Lee sighed. He knew playing along was the only way to get rid of him. "Sure."

Naruto assumed the air of an experienced teacher. "I'll have you know, I don't tell just anyone this. In fact, you're the first one, so consider yourself lucky." He paused meaningfully as if trying to increase Lee's anticipation. "One word, my friend. Ramen. Not just for lunch or dinner either. She loves it for breakfast. Believe me, she couldn't get enough of it at my place."

"...Right," Lee said, as he removed Naruto's arm from around him. "Uh...I have to go now, Naruto-kun. So...I will talk to you later?"

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Not even a thank you? For the tip?"

Lee stammered. "Uh...thanks, Naruto-kun, for the...valuable...advice."

"Anytime." The blonde shinobi grinned and slapped Lee on the back hard. "I'll see you later. And tell me how it goes."

Lee gave him a half smile. "Sure, Naruto-kun. Goodbye."

Lee was relieved when the noisy ninja left him alone with his thoughts again. Suddenly he remembered what he had been planning to do before this revelation hit him. He was going to request a mission from Tsunade-sama.

Lee swallowed. If indeed Uchiha Sasuke had returned there was no chance Lee could leave Konoha now. He would go see the Hokage today, but not for the reason he had originally intended. As a shinobi of the leaf, it was his duty to protect the village...and those important to him.

Tsunade-sama needed to know. What she did then would be up to her.

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A/N: I agree- the ending of the last chapter was a bit sadistic. Oh well, I'm a shameless reviewer-pleaser so I posted this one quickly.


	21. Chapter 21

When Lee arrived at the door of the Hokage's office, he paused for a minute with his fist in the air, ready to knock.

Was he doing the right thing? He had been completely drunk last night. His senses could not be trusted. Maybe what he saw had just been a figment of his imagination. After all, Uchiha Sasuke left so many years ago and had not been heard of since. What would cause him to return all of a sudden? And what would he be doing at Sakura's apartment? He refused to believe that Sakura would voluntarily provide refuge for an S-class criminal. And if Lee had indeed met the Sharingan, why was he still alive? It just didn't add up.

Yet...his instincts told him there was something amiss. Lee knocked on the door before he could change his mind.

"Come in."

Lee's eyes fell on the familiar sight of Tsunade-sama sitting behind her desk with piles of paperwork. She looked up at her visitor and paused her writing.

"Lee-kun."

"Ohayo, Tsunade-sama," he said with a bow.

"What brings you here? Eager for another mission right after the festival?" Tsunade gave Lee a slight smile, but he didn't return it.

"You know me well, Hokage-sama. At least...that was my intention first thing in the morning," Lee said with his head lowered.

Tsunade paused and noticed his apprehension for the first time. This wasn't the confident, good-natured shinobi she knew. She was curious to know what had caused this dramatic change in him. After some time, she spoke again.

"Lee-kun," she said firmly.

Lee looked up at her and met her discerning brown eyes.

"Tell me why you came here."

Lee sighed and focused on a painting on the wall.

"Lee-kun, I'm very busy today," she said with controlled patience.

Lee remained silent for a moment, debating again whether or not to tell her. However, he had come this far and no matter what his head told him, in his heart he was somehow convinced that he was right.

"It's Sakura-san...I think she's in trouble."

Tsunade was not unaware of Lee's affection for Sakura. Not that she particularly cared about the complicated love lives of her shinobi subordinates, but some facts were hard to ignore. Yet, she could not recall a time when he had come to her regarding Sakura's safety, especially when she was alive and well in the village.

"What do you mean? There haven't been any missions in the past few days."

"It is not that, Hokage-sama. I think...she might be in danger."

"I saw her just today shopping on the street. She didn't seem any different."

Lee felt a surge of desire to justify his concern. He looked at the puzzled expression on the Hokage's face. "I went to her apartment last night and...although I don't remember exactly what happened, I recall sensing some evil chakra close by. It wasn't normal, I know it didn't belong to any present Kohona shinobi...I'm not certain...but..."

"Yes?"

Lee stammered, "It might have been...I was opening one of her doors...and then I saw...I saw..." His voice drifted off.

"What did you see?" Tsunade pressed.

"I saw...those eyes."

He grabbed his shoulder instinctively. Though he had changed his shirt, he recalled the curious rip he found there this morning. It had provoked him to recollect some foggy images.

"Eyes?"

Lee swallowed hard and averted her gaze.

Tsunade read his body language and noted that whatever it was, it had to be something bad to make Lee so uncharacteristically distracted.

"What eyes?" she asked sternly.

Tsunade was beginning to form an idea about where this was all going, but she hoped with every fiber of her being that she was wrong. The special eyes he was talking about must be a bloodlimit. Those with bloodlimits in their eyes were always powerful ninjas. She knew the Hyuuga clan well and never sensed evil chakra when she was around them. Unless she was mistaken, that only left...

_Sakura, what have you been hiding from me? _Tsunade thought as she closed her eyes.

Lee took a deep breath and looked down again. He whispered, "Sharingan."

Tsunade had put the pieces together already. For a second, she almost wished Lee was talking about Uchiha Itachi, but she knew he wasn't. If this had anything to do with Sakura, it was about the younger brother.

She recalled the ANBU mission report stating that they had hit him with a strychnine coated needle. Was that a mistake? No...if he was here in Konoha and had not attacked yet, he must have come for the antidote.

There was only one way he could sneak into Konoha unnoticed, and that was during the festival. There was only one way he could survive even with the antidote, and that was with Sakura's help. This situation was going to be difficult.

Tsunade looked back at the shinobi who had reported the news. Lee looked devastated and guilty.

"Lee-kun, you did the right thing," she said in the calmest voice she could. Inside, a thousand thoughts were running through her mind.

"Tsunade-sama...I...I'm not completely sure...it's just a feeling I have..."

"You did the right thing in telling me, Lee-kun. I'll have to verify some things first, but I'll let you know what I find," she said steadily.

"Tsunade-sama..." Lee hung his head.

"I don't want you to meet with Sakura for the rest of the day. Also don't alarm anyone else; just leave it up to me. And come to my office tomorrow morning at 7:00 sharp."

She stood up and walked over to where he was standing.

"I have matters to attend to now, so I must ask you to leave," she said quietly.

Lee gave a sudden, low bow and quickly exited the office.

When he left, Tsunade heaved a deep sigh. There was no time to waste—her other paperwork would have to wait. She had to understand the situation before making any decisions. She would have approach this systematically.

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First, Tsunade descended the stairs that led to the basement. The jounin guard bowed and stepped out of the way as Tsunade quickly pushed the code to open the door. She made her way to the aisle where the strychnine antidote was located, praying that it was still there. However, when she reached the place where it was supposed to be, she noticed with a surge of anger that it was missing. Tsunade looked carefully, making sure she was not hallucinating. Sure enough, the bottle was nowhere in sight. She controlled an impulse to knock down the entire aisle and punch the wall with her fist. When she checked the inventory later, she also noticed the number of bandages, blood-clotting pills, and pain medication did not match the record either.

Tsunade then went to a chart and looked up the jounin guard on duty the night of the festival. Later that day, she proceeded to interrogate him. He did not seem to remember much about that night, but he had noted a flash of some sort and woken up a few hours later on the floor of the basement. He reluctantly admitted to the Hokage that he had had a few celebratory drinks before his shift and thought he had passed out.

When Tsunade returned to her office in the afternoon, there was no doubt in her mind that an injured Uchiha Sasuke was in Konoha and staying at Sakura's apartment. Based on the nature of his injury and the time that has passed, she guessed he would at most be at 50 of his full strength tomorrow. He could not leave before then—Sakura would not be done with her healing sessions.

Now she had to decide what to do with this situation. She debated whether or not to send Sasuke's old classmates to capture him. It may be an emotional confrontation, but she needed shinobi with special powers to counter his. Shikamaru's shadow bind may be useful, as would Ino's mind transfer technique. Neji and Lee would be necessary if Sasuke attacked with taijustu or attempted to use his Sharingan. Tenten, as a weapons specialist, might be able to slow him down significantly if he tried to escape. And finally...

Tsunade sighed. She really did not want to assign him to the task, but if all of the other ninjas failed, she was sure no matter how skilled Sasuke had become he could not defeat him.

_Naruto..._

She would send for two ANBU to join the team as well; they would be able to apprehend Sasuke without emotional conflict. She would dispatch eagles with messages requesting all the shinobi to meet in her office at seven in the next morning. The details would be explained tomorrow; they needed a good night's sleep if there was going to be a battle.

Then Tsunade asked herself what she was planning to do with Sasuke in the event that they captured him and brought him to her office. She had not thought about it until now and the question disturbed her. The image of Sasuke in her mind was still the thirteen year old genin. She had given him a few assignments in the past; he had been one of Konoha's most promising ninjas. But she had seen—and she knew Kakashi-kun had too—a streak of evil in him that made him desire power, no matter what the cost. She had tried to ignore it. But it had hit her with full force when he ran away, and now she could not deny it.

He would be a grown man now, but she wondered if she, too, would be able to prevent the past from muddling her judgement. When he ran away, she could distinctly remember the devastation of Naruto, Sakura, and all the young genin that had known him as a classmate. Tsunade, of course, was aware of the reason why Sasuke left seven years ago.

Since she had been a child, Tsunade had known the Uchiha clan to be a powerful, respected family with a strict code of conduct. They were the main shinobi police force trusted to protect the village. For many years, they were a prominent asset to Konoha, until Tsunade heard of a massacre committed by one of its most esoteric prodigies.

She shook her head sadly. The only successors of the great Uchiha legacy were two traitors.

The normal punishment for captured S-class criminals was, of course, death. Tsunade herself had periodically sent shinobi after Sasuke; it was, after all, part of her job to hunt out defectors to the leaf. Their missions had not been successful until now.

The reputations of her position and village were also on the line. If the other villages found out that Uchiha Sasuke had escaped from Konoha unscathed or been shown clemency when he was in her grasp, it would be a clear sign of weakness.

_What would the Third do?_

She thought with a shiver how her sensei had dealt with her own ex-teammate. The Third had not killed Orochimaru when he had the chance and therefore allowed the war seven years ago to occur, a war that had also cost her sensei his life.

If Tsunade did not act now, who knew what trouble Sasuke would cause in the future.

It was not going to be easy. If she killed him she knew at least Sakura would not take it well. What Sasuke meant to Sakura, Tsunade did not venture to guess, but he must still have a hold on her to cause her to sacrifice her reputation, career, and life to save him. The worst case scenario was that Sakura would either run away or try to kill herself. Tsunade would have to assign ANBU nins to watch over her during the day, and ask Lee or Naruto to stay with her during the night.

But now...now was the chance to get rid of him; she doubted she would ever get another one.

Tsunade had made her decision. Tomorrow would be the end.


	22. Chapter 22

A/N: LONG chapter. If you skimmed my past 21, please take your time on this one. The detail may be annoying, but it's important (at least to me...)

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That evening, Sakura noticed Sasuke getting restless. He had barely been out of the apartment for two days. He seemed to have slept well, but when he was awake she could clearly see the anxiety in his face. It was almost like he was trying to retrace his steps and make sure he had not missed anything.

As Sakura was putting freshly laundered clothes away, she noticed that one of the pictures was turned face down on top of the dresser. She wondered whether it had been accidentally knocked down, and she picked it up again. That is when she saw that it was that picture of team 7 as genin with Kakashi-sensei standing behind them. Sakura smiled slightly as she recalled how ecstatic she had been when she found out that Sasuke-kun would be on her team. She was the envy of every girl in the academy.

She had grown accustomed to the photograph and had never stopped to really look at it again. She thought to herself out of all of them, Naruto had changed the most. She could still remember when his voice was high and squeaky and he was the shortest of them all, but now he was be the tallest and perhaps the most powerful as well.

_Still not the sharpest kunai in the sack though,_ Sakura thought to herself with an affectionate grin as she stood the frame up again.

She bent down and picked up the laundry basket and noticed the last few pieces of clothing belonged to Sasuke. He had not wanted to lounge around without his clothes on while she did the laundry so he had gone to take a shower.

Just then the bedroom door opened again, and Sakura's eyes fell on Sasuke who had entered with just a towel around his waist.

"Are the clothes ready?" he asked curtly.

Sakura reached into her basket and handed them to him.

"Thanks," he said quickly before disappearing again.

When he returned a few seconds later fully dressed, he walked slowly past Sakura and sat on the bed. His gait was not so labored anymore, not like the previous day. He was making quick progress.

Sakura put the basket away in the closet and sat on the bed next to him. She could smell the light scent of his freshly cleaned body.

"I was thinking," Sasuke said, "I could leave tonight."

Sakura turned to face him with a concerned look on her face. "Sasuke, it's only been two days."

"You said yesterday that you sensed less poison in my body, right? So the only thing that hasn't healed completely is my arm. But even that I can move on my own now."

"Yes, but—"Sakura paused and asked herself if she was only objecting because of her personal feelings and her subconscious desire for him to stay. But she eventually decided that no matter which way she looked at it, it was practically impossible for someone to heal so fast after an injury like this. Sure, if he concentrated his chakra to his arm, there was a chance that he could escape successfully, but it was extremely dangerous. Even someone of his skill and stamina still might find himself collapsed somewhere in the forest. It was still too soon in Sakura's opinion.

"You...you're not ready yet," she said softly. Sakura took his right arm gently and studied it. She noticed that the bandages were getting bloody again.

"I feel my strength returning."

"It's too soon."

Sasuke withdrew his arm from Sakura's grasp but the gesture was not abrupt or forceful.

"We can't keep this up. I don't want to burden you anymore." His voice was quiet but resolute, and Sakura had a feeling he was going to be stubborn about this.

"I don't mind. You might die if you leave tonight."

Sasuke sighed and he looked into her face. "I'll die for sure if I someone finds us. The man yesterday...he might have recognized me." Sasuke didn't like talking about the past, but this time he wanted to identify the person. He hesitated, but eventually asked, "He was the same guy we met in the Chuunin exam, right? Rock Lee, was it?"

Sakura nodded.

"He's a powerful ninja, isn't he."

"Yes."

Sasuke paused.

"You two are..." His voice trailed off while his dark eyes searched for the answer in her face.

Sakura blushed suddenly and looked away.

"Friends," she whispered uncomfortably as she brushed her hair to one side. Her gaze fell on the photograph on the dresser that had been turned down.

Wanting to change the subject, she said, "Do you remember that picture?"

Sasuke's eyes turned to where she was staring.

He had been the one who turned it down. "Yes."

"You got one too, didn't you?"

"That was a long time ago."

Sakura looked at his serious expression again and smiled slightly.

"Your appearance...hasn't changed that much." With a hand, she shyly brushed a strand of hair out of his face. He had dried it, but she noticed it was still a little damp.

His eyes narrowed slightly at her movements but he did not recoil.

Sakura pressed her lips together nervously. His silence was making her uneasy.

She cleared her throat and got off the bed, knelt down and pulled a box from under the bed. After opening it, she pulled out a large book.

Sitting back on the bed again, she asked him, "Do you want to look at some other pictures?"

Sasuke shrugged. He could not leave until the streets were deserted, which would be a few hours from now, around midnight or later.

Sakura sat cross legged on her bed and opened the book, resting it on one thigh so he could see. Her mind was instantly taken back to the moments she had captured on film.

"These were taken from last year's festival," she said with a hint of excitement. She wanted to show him the people that he had not seen in so many years.

"Here's a picture of Naruto and me in front of the restaurant. He was being stupid as usual," she said as she pointed to it.

Sasuke shifted slightly. It was uncomfortable for him to see faces from his childhood, but he found himself compelled to lean in and look.

_So that was what Naruto looked like now..._

The face was older, but it still had that mischievous, clueless grin. In the photo Naruto was grabbing Sakura around the waist attempting to lift her up while Sakura was struggling and had an angry expression on her face.

"Here's Lee-kun and me." Lee was flashing the trademark "nice-guy pose," complete with thumbs up and proverbial ding. His arm was around Sakura who was giving a nice smile.

"Some of the girls," Sakura pointed at Ino, Hinata, and Tenten who were seated around the table. "I still remember it took Ino a month to find the right dress."

Sakura turned the page.

"These pictures were taken while we were eating. Ignore this one. I don't know when Naruto stole my camera and took a picture of me putting food in my mouth." Sakura covered it with her hand. "He must have also thought the waitress was cute, so here's a picture of her...Naruto and Kiba drinking. All the bottles they drank."

Sakura turned the page.

"Team 10. Chouji, Shikamaru, and Shino. Me and Ino," She pointed to each picture momentarily and paused after each one so Sasuke could get a good look. "Neji-san and Tenten. He didn't want me to take a picture, so that's his hand in the way."

"On this page, these were some displays that were on the street...Now we're at the parties. Here is a picture of all of us together...Ino dancing with Naruto. Some decorations. Chouji with some chips eying Akamaru. Naruto and Kiba hitting on Hinata at the same time....I remember that. She was sandwiched between them and just so red I just had to take a picture," Sakura laughed before continuing, "Lee and me. Tenten and me."

For the whole next hour, Sasuke sat studying the photographs that Sakura went over in her albums, occasionally asking questions about where the places were. She seemed to be so lost in the memories that she had forgotten that Sasuke planned to leave later that night. It felt good to show him the people that were important in her life and the fun that they had together.

When she reached the end of the last album she had, she shut it and gave a satisfied sigh.

She smiled at Sasuke again and said quietly, "Well that's it."

"They were nice, Sakura," Sasuke said. He meant it earnestly; she had reminded him of things he had long forgotten. Yet, this was a life that he could never take part in again. By making his decision long ago, and especially after breaching the law so many times and committing countless acts of violence, there was no way he could return. This kind of lighthearted camaraderie was not for him.

For a second, he felt a strange feeling, but he quickly shook it away.

"You think so?" Sakura said, pleased, as she hugged the album close.

"Yes."

Sakura's eyes lowered and her shoulders fell a little. "They're not perfect though..."

She paused meaningfully.

"...I wish you were in them."

Sasuke remained silent for a few moments, but then he said softly, "You looked happy."

Sakura sighed and shook her head sadly. "You don't understand," she said gently. "I have friends...but...without you..."

Sasuke felt like he knew what was coming next. He had heard it all before. However, he suddenly realized then that this was the last night he would hear her voice. Perhaps forever. There was something reassuring about it; over the last few days, he had gotten used to the feminine ring. Surprisingly, he found himself not too eager to part with it. But he had to.

"There's no use in saying any more, Sakura. I'm going tonight," he said as he turned his body away from her.

Sakura's head was lowered.

He heard her sniff, but she said in the calmest voice she could, "As long as it's what you want...It's your decision."

He would not tell her that there was a part of him that did not want to leave.

Sakura got off the bed and put the photo albums back into the box. After she pushed the box under the bed, she stood up again.

"I'm going to take a shower. When I get out, I'll change your bandages one last time."

She waited for some sort of response, but there was none. After a few seconds she turned away. Sasuke remained still as she left the bedroom.

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When Sakura got out of the shower she was dressed in the clothes she normally slept in, a tank top and pink shorts. Without saying a word, she walked over to where Sasuke was still sitting on the bed and paused in front of him. Sasuke didn't meet her gaze as her hand lightly lifted his healthy one.

He stood up momentarily and followed her to the bathroom, which was still a little foggy from the heat of her shower. Sakura cleared the counter and wiped it off so it wasn't too damp. Then she gathered her materials from the drawer, lined them up neatly, and supported herself on the counter again.

He saw her hair was tied up tighter tonight.

She beckoned him closer and he walked toward her, giving her his injured arm. With a soft sigh she unwrapped the soiled bandages and took a look at his wound. It looked better, but not by much.

As Sakura proceeded to clean his arm, Sasuke unconsciously fixed his eyes on her. He noticed now that he had never thought of her in terms of being pretty or not—to him she was just Sakura. But there was nothing disagreeable about the way her soft face looked when she was concentrated, or the way the muscles in her slender arms tensed while she worked. Even if he could, he would not have changed a thing about her.

There was an awkward silence when Sakura finished.

Their eyes met briefly before Sakura focused somewhere on her hand, which was rested at the edge of the counter.

Sasuke grabbed his wrapped arm lightly. For some reason he recalled the moment when he first saw her, clutching to her partner's injured body in the night rain. He was aiming for her next, until the ANBU shinobi had called her name. It had made him stop.

"I remember, when we first met...I cut your neck and never apologized." He hesitated. "I'm sorry."

Sakura's hand instinctively shot up to the location he was talking about, rubbing it. The cut had healed quickly as expected and had disappeared completely. Her arm slid down again.

"It's...it's okay," she said with a shy smile. Her eyes darted around, trying not to focus on his serious expression.

She expected him to move back like he usually did so she could hop off the counter, but he did not budge. Sakura wondered what he was thinking—his gaze was making her uncomfortable. It was as if he had not seen her for a long time and was debating something in his mind.

After some time, he took a step closer to her so that her knees were almost touching his legs.

"Where was the cut?"

It was an innocent question, but the soft tone of his voice insinuated something else. Sakura was completely taken aback. Her heart started beating faster.

After a few moments, his upper body leaned in closer and she drew a deep breath. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched his arm moved up slowly and felt his fingertips stroke a line along the bare skin of her shoulder, catching the strap of her tank top slightly before skipping over it. Electricity was shooting through her nerves, and she wondered if she was hallucinating.

"Here?" His finger grazed a spot on just above her collarbone. Sakura tried to control a shiver of pleasure.

His gaze remained on her shoulder. His hand dropped and settled just outside of hers on the bathroom counter and his face moved in close to her neck. Sakura's eyes widened, but she didn't pull back. At first, she felt only his warm breath. But soon, she sensed the light brushes of his nose and his lips teasing her skin. It made her feel like she was on fire.

She trembled helplessly as he moved up the curve of her neck.

"Or is it...here?" he mumbled. His distinct voice vibrated on her skin.

He then pressed his lips lightly against her neck, causing Sakura to automatically close her eyes and tilt her head back. As his kisses became stronger and more urgent, she felt faint and used a hand to grip the back of his neck.

"Tell me, Sakura..." he insisted softly.

The pressure on her skin was giving her goosebumps and her mouth opened in attempt to provide a release for the torrent of emotions. She wondered if he could feel her pulse racing in response to his touch.

"Where did I hurt you?" he murmured without diverting his attention from her neck.

Sakura was silent, afraid that answering him might make him stop. Something tingled at the back of her throat and her vision blurred. She swallowed hard and bit her lip.

After some time, he repeated himself.

"Where did I hurt you?" he mumbled to her neck a little breathlessly.

He wanted a response. The cut had healed and she wondered why he persisted.

But...there was one part of her that he had wounded...

Sakura forced herself out of the trance-like state in which she accepted his caresses and took hold of his free hand. She pressed its palm at the center of her chest.

"Here."

Sasuke stopped.

The labored, throbbing beats of her heart surprised him and he straightened up to meet her gaze. As Sasuke stared at her misted green eyes, he was surprised by all the undiluted sadness he saw in them. For a moment, she looked much older than she was—almost defeated, as if the cause she had been struggling for so long was crumbling before her. But there was also a trace of hope.

There was no doubt in his mind that she was no longer the love-struck, silly schoolgirl anymore. He remembered a time he could do no wrong, but a glance at the tired face in front of him told him things had changed. It was clear she did not condone what he had become: an S-class criminal wanted by all major villages and perpetrator of countless gruesome acts. But she was still here, daring to hold on to him despite his faults. Ever since he last left Konoha as a child, Sakura had somehow been able to distinguish between what he did and who he was.

So that was why she had done what she did for him.

He wondered if she always looked at him with those eyes. If so, it was the first time he really understood them. He read the unconditional devotion on her face and sought comfort in it for the first time. But there was something else, too, written in her expression. After a few moments he identified what it meant and it made him burn with guilt.

Sasuke eyes closed momentarily as he felt the full force of the blame seething in his gut. All this time he had worked to perfect his Sharingan in the hopes of achieving perfect insight, staying one step ahead, and seeing through everyone's intentions. Yet, it had taken him so long to notice the woman in front of him. The irony dug like a sharp knife in his side.

Of all the mistakes he had ever made, perhaps this was the biggest.

When his eyes opened again, they were filled with newfound wonder and empathy. Sakura tried to read what it meant, but she didn't know—she had never seen him like this before.

His hand moved to her chin and he stroked it lightly. Then his thumb gently traced her lower lip. Sakura felt the sting of his touch and noticed a singular intent in his expression.

_Is this a dream..._

He seemed to move in slow motion as he brought her face toward his. When their lips met, Sakura's eyes fluttered shut as she nearly fell unconscious from the swell of emotion that engulfed her body. Her muscles that had tensed in the last few minutes relaxed and went limp as she surrendered her body to the sensation.

Sasuke felt her sinking, and slipped his hands over the small of her back to push her body up and towards him.

Sakura responded by lifting her hands up to rest on his shoulders and neck.

As a girl, she had fantasized about their first kiss. She had imagined it would be in the park or by the stream on a warm summer day. She would say something sweet that would cause his hard facade to melt. Then, much to her surprise, he would steal a shy peck on the cheek.

The reality of it was different from the way she had planned as a child. They were in her bathroom of all places, and she was in her pyjamas. It was not a summer afternoon, but a fall evening. She had not said the right words; there was nothing timid about the way his lips pressed against hers.

But it was perfect—so perfect.

Sakura swallowed down a sob, not wanting to end their kiss but almost choking with joy. She recalled the way he held her on the first night they met and the content way he slept in her arms in the woods. His body told her then he was comfortable, but at this instant...it told her something more.

All these years, for this one moment.

It was worth it.

When their lips finally broke apart, Sasuke kept his eyes closed and rested his forehead against hers. They stayed in this position for some time before Sakura silently reached up and tightened her arms around him in a warm embrace. Tears fell uncontrollably from the corners of her closed eyes as her fingers pressed hard into his back. Her face was twisted in a sob that Sasuke could not see, but he felt her body trembling and slid his hands around her waist.

"You know..." he began softly. There was a tone of weariness in his voice. "You're the only thing that has ever redeemed me."

Sakura kept silent. She started clenching his shirt, causing her knuckles grew white. Then, she buried her face in his shoulder. For the first time, Sakura knew exactly what he felt for her. No matter what, she couldn't lose him again.

"It's not too late," she whispered into his shirt, staining it with her tears.

It was the same voice she had used that night when she begged him to come home with her to Konoha. The same night he had left her cold and alone on the rock.

She lifted her head slowly and pushed his shoulders away lightly to look into his eyes desperately.

"If you surrender willingly, the Hokage might be more lenient...She remembers you...tell her that you changed...that you're sorry for everything and that you're back."

"Sakura..."

He could not believe he was actually considering it, but the occurrence of the most recent events had fogged his judgment. His stomach twisted slightly, thinking about the prospect of returning to his old home.

In order to survive alone, he had forcefully dulled his emotions. He recalled how difficult it was the first time he killed another man, but the next assassination went smoother. As he grew desensitized, it became easier. Eventually, the voices of the deceased stopped coming back to haunt him. His world fell silent and cold; it was as if he operated in another dimension from everyone else. But it was necessary...right? To kill the man who murdered his family?

He had never slowed down long enough to ask himself if his ambition gave him satisfaction and if there was really no other way. Suddenly he found himself wondering what he had to live for. The hatred for Itachi, for some reason, no longer felt like enough to justify everything he had done, everything he had lost.

He was tired of running. He realized then the best sleep he had had in seven years had been the last few nights with her.

But there was one thing.

"She will kill me," Sasuke said hopelessly.

"Then...I'll die with you..."

Sasuke didn't respond.

"It's worth a try. I know it's a lot to ask, but please...stay. Please, Sasuke. I would do anything for you. If you'd just--" Sakura's voiced stopped. She had said this so many times, but always failed to convince him. The growing lump in her throat made it hurt to talk. She reached up to his cheek and pressed the side of his face against hers.

"Just don't leave tonight," Sakura whispered painfully.

For the first time, Sasuke let the tenderness of her voice ring in the depths of his soul. His faltering will began to collapse completely. He tried thinking about his goals and his life before her for these past seven years, but everything now seemed trivial in comparison to the woman in his arms.

Perhaps he would pay the consequences tomorrow. Maybe one day she would be the death of him. It all didn't matter. He had lost enough, and he was not about to leave the only person who still cared about him. Tonight, he could not refuse.

His lips traveled to her ear. She could feel his breath again as he spoke in a low voice.

"Okay."


	23. Chapter 23

A/N: THANK YOU to all the reviewers. I read and thought about every one. I put a lot of effort into 22 and kept it especially tight so I'm glad you liked it. But I'm actually kind of scared now and hope the rest of my story will not seem sloppy in comparison. That was definitely the climax, so don't hold your breath!

A. Shade: Yes, you're right. It would take time for Sassie to turn around; so I'm afraid you won't like the pace of the next few chapters. I really want to get this fic completed (it's almost over) but at the same time I don't want to rush things. I hope the events that pass aren't too sudden for most of you—my weak defense is that I believe once your death is imminent, you'll see your life with extraordinary lucidity (so there's no real time for Sasuke to debate anything). But thanks for pointing it out—I'll take it into consideration and it'll slap me on the wrist when I type something that makes Sassie too OOC.

Lastly, this chapter begins the following morning. It's up to your imagination to decide what went down last night! ;-)

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Sasuke's eyes opened to meet the white sheets on the bed. He glanced at the clock. Ten o'clock already. They had slept in. He rubbed both his eyes with his thumb and forefinger as he propped himself up on one elbow.

Then, he seemed to notice Sakura's sleeping form curled up beside him for the first time. The events of last night came rushing back to him. He rubbed his face. Maybe he should not have...well, it was too late now.

Sasuke had a hard time regretting his decision as he studied the patterns her long hair made on the pillow. He took between two of his calloused fingers a strand that ran over her cheek and brushed it aside. Then he traced the side of her face for a second, before withdrawing his hand.

Carefully so as not to wake her, he shifted his weight slowly to a sitting position and lay his feet flat on the floor. He stood up and grabbed his t-shirt off the ground and put it on quickly.

Rubbing the back of his neck, he walked toward the bathroom.

After splashing water on his face, Sasuke paused to take a good look in the mirror. His eyes narrowed. It had been a long time since he had really seen himself.

He dried his face and started to brush his teeth when he suddenly noticed something strange. He cursed himself for letting his guard down. Sasuke closed his eyes and concentrated. What was this presence that he felt...

He spit out the toothpaste and rinsed his mouth. Then he sensed a chakra that was entirely unmistakable. He stopped.

_There are 8...including him._

Sasuke wiped his mouth dry with a towel.

He quietly made his way back to the bedroom and picked up his pants from the floor. As he put them back on, his eyes were fixed intently on Sakura's silent figure. He wanted to commit every curve, every feature to his memory. But he did not have time.

A rough knock at the door broke the stillness of the morning. It did not surprise him. Sasuke had wondered how long they would just stand there.

"Uchiha Sasuke!" called a stern voice through the door.

Another knock.

"We know you're in there. Open up."

Sasuke took one more look at Sakura's peaceful expression. Just once more, he wanted to touch her. He rested a knee on the mattress and lowered his head down below her face to bury his nose in her neck, trying to memorize her scent.

Satisfied, he sighed and stood up again. Sakura shifted slightly with a smile on her face, but remained asleep. Before he left the bedroom, his hand rested on the door frame as he took one last look back at Sakura. Then he walked as calmly as he could toward the persistent knocking on the door.

His hand hesitated on the knob, but he asked himself why. His fate had been sealed yesterday when he stayed to spend the night with her. Even if he wanted to escape now, he could not. There were eight skilled ninjas waiting for him. If by luck he could defeat seven of them at a time, there was one that he knew he could not overcome.

He opened the door slowly.

Sasuke's eyes met eight other pairs belonging to Konoha shinobi. They were standing in a semi-circle around the door, as if challenging him to run away.

Sasuke recognized some of them instantly. He had seen them in Sakura's photos. Just a few proportions were changed, but they looked just as they did when they were kids. There was a man in a green suit with dark, bobbed hair—the same man he had used the Sharingan on two nights ago. A serious looking ninja with bulging veins around his white eyes, hands ready in the jyuuken position. A young woman standing next to him with her brown hair in buns and an arsenal of weapons tucked into her clothing. A frightened blonde woman with her trembling hands up in a seal. In front of her was a dark haired man with an annoyed but concentrated expression on his face. Then there were two ANBU and finally...

Sasuke's dark eyes met piercing blue ones. The young man had those familiar markings on his face...

Naruto's teeth were clenched and his jaw tightened when their gazes collided. His face was full of forced determination, but his hands were shaking.

Sasuke recalled their last meeting. It had not ended well. As children, they had trained and completed missions together. He even remembered Naruto once telling him that Sasuke was like the brother he never had. But Sasuke had broken their bond abruptly with his departure and made things worse by trying to kill his old friend. If Naruto hated him now, that would only be fair. If they had to have a battle to settle the old score, Sasuke would not decline. They would both fight with all they had, but he knew who the eventual victor would be. Even his Sharingan was not strong enough to counter the power of the Ninetails.

"Uchiha Sasuke," repeated an ANBU member.

Sasuke felt a twinge of pain from all the killing intents focused on him. He raised his hands up slowly in the gesture of surrender, and an ANBU member carefully frisked him for any weapons.

There were none.

Sasuke then turned around silently and clasped his hands behind his back. The ANBU nin bound his wrists tightly with rope made out of chakra.

"If you try to break free—"

Sasuke was aware of its capabilities.

"I know," he answered.

The ANBU nin was taken slightly off-guard by Sasuke's total compliance, but after a few moments, he grabbed Sasuke's arm roughly and started leading him away from the apartment toward the Hokage's office. The crowd of ninjas broke to let them pass and followed along the side.

The ones that knew him best seemed to be in shock. Shikamaru had his arm around a shaking Ino. Neji and Tenten moved silently. Lee walked with his head lowered, finding it heartbreakingly difficult to look at the reason behind Sakura's distraction the last few days.

Lee recalled the time that he had rescued Sakura in the forest during the chuunin exam. He had attempted to defeat the sound nins, but it was Uchiha Sasuke who had eventually gotten rid of them. And by the time of the main matches, Sasuke had acquired the same speed in a few weeks that had taken Lee years of hardwork to obtain. As he watched in the stands that day, Lee had said that he was jealous of Sasuke-kun; but his feelings then were nothing compared to the envy that was now burning in his chest.

Lee had taken responsibility for his fate and worked relentlessly to become one of the most respected jounin in Konoha. However, matters of the heart were not like ninja training, and he realized now that no amount of dedication or suffering could ever change the fact that Sasuke had won the only woman Lee had ever loved. The painful truth was that, again in a matter of weeks, Sasuke had outdone and trivialized Lee's years of devotion and care. For once, there was nothing Lee could do and no words of encouragement he could think of to present the matter in a more optimistic light. Even as Sasuke was making his way to the Hokage's office to face an almost certain death, Lee would have given everything to exchange places with him.

And Naruto.

Naruto was speechless for the first time in his life. He kept his gaze on Sasuke, staring at him in disbelief. A part of him could not believe that his ex-teammate had returned after all these years. But that stoic expression was unmistakable and the childhood memories that Naruto thought he had buried came rushing into his mind.

Team seven had been like family to him, and Sasuke had once been an integral part in his life. Naruto had been eager for his rival's acceptance and wanted nothing more than to be considered Sasuke's equal. As boys they argued and annoyed each other, but there had always been an unspoken trust between them. They agreed on little, but when situations became serious, they would push their petty arguments aside and cooperate to defeat the enemy, and of course, protect Sakura.

Naruto recalled the ache in his chest when, seven years ago, he had failed to bring Sasuke back to Konoha and was forced to face her empty-handed. Telling her their teammate went missing had been one of the hardest things he had ever done; he remembered the distinct sense of worthlessness when her hope was crushed before his eyes.

Naruto felt now that he should hate Sasuke for betraying their village, breaking their friendship, and most of all, for hurting Sakura. But at this moment, for some reason, he could only summon pity as he studied the defeated image of a stranger who had once his close friend. This man had regrettably chosen the wrong path, and his luck had finally caught up to him.

When they were about fifty feet away, the shinobi heard a familiar voice.

"Sasuke!"

Sasuke's head turned, trying to look behind him.

"Sasuke-kun!!" Sakura screamed.

She had woken and was standing at the door of her apartment breathlessly, clutching the comforter to her body.

When Sakura finally saw his figure moving slowly away while surrounded by Konoha ninjas, she felt her stomach drop. The side of her body collapsed against the frame of the door to keep her from falling.

Sasuke spoke calmly to the shinobi grabbing his arm, "I'm not going to run away."

The hold loosened slightly, allowing Sasuke turned around to face Sakura. He walked backwards away from her, hands tied behind him.

He smiled sadly and gave her a look that stopped her heart. It was tired and resigned, but more than anything, it was apologetic.

Sakura's devastated green eyes were beyond tears as she shook her head in disbelief. A trembling hand reached up to her tangled hair and grabbed it. She looked around suddenly at her surroundings, trying to decide on the best course of action.

She was not dressed, so she could not run after him now. She could not scream again; she seemed to have lost her voice.

But she had to follow.

Sakura ran frantically back into her bedroom.

She had to be with him when the time came.


	24. Chapter 24

A/N:  
D of L: Yes, no one says just one climax, but that may have to be the case because my ideas for this fic have hit a dead end, and I want to end it soon. If anyone has any suggestions feel free to drop me a note.

Dyroness: The probability of a lemon is low, sorry- this fic is PG and I want to be a responsible fanfictionist for my readers (I have a feeling most are under 18). The other and probably more honest excuses are that I'm lazy and probably wouldn't do it justice.

Ori and others: It's ok to tell me what you think- I don't expect to please everyone.

Phantomgamer: I laughed at your comment. You're funny and encouraging. Thx. Wasn't going in that direction, but I'll think about it.

I must have forgotten about the Shiz. Well she's in this chap.

School is so fun it makes me want to rip out my entrails and throw them up in the air like confetti.

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After making herself presentable at a crazed pace, Sakura ran out the door and made her way toward the Hokage's office. She had no idea what she was going to do or say; all she knew was that she had to see Sasuke again.

When she arrived at the building, she darted up the stairs and pressed her finger hard against the sensor to open the door. Running down the hall, she noticed her friends and fellow shinobi sitting on benches or leaning against the wall outside the Hokage's door, some with their heads lowered solemnly and others wearing expressions of complete shock. Sasuke was nowhere in sight.

In a different situation, Sakura might have thought it incredibly uncomfortable to talk about Sasuke or betray any interest in him in front of his old teammates. However, now was not the time for formalities.

"Where is he!?" Sakura demanded breathlessly, her fierce green eyes shifting quickly from friend to friend.

The shinobi avoided her gaze and did not respond.

"Well!?" Sakura was furious when she did not get an answer. Exasperated and impatient, she made her way toward the Hokage's door. She wanted to be with him if he was being interrogated by Tsunade-sama.

Neji, who was standing, grabbed Sakura's arm as she walked past him, and she shot him an incensed look. His face was serious and his grip firm; Sakura would have been afraid if he had not caught her at such a fanatical time. She shook her arm violently. Whether she successfully threw off his hand or whether he let her go, she did not know, but she eventually broke loose.

A couple of steps later, she collided into Naruto's chest. Sakura looked up into his concerned blue eyes angrily.

"Get out of my way," she said in a threatening, but controlled voice.

"No," he whispered.

Sakura tried to push him out of the way, but he stood his ground and grabbed both her arms. She struggled as she twisted them, trying to wrestle out of his grasp.

"Naruto...let go!" she cried through clenched teeth.

"You can't go in, Sakura."

"Why not?! What is she doing to him?!" She struggled some more and yelled, "Why are all of you standing out here like this?! And why won't anyone answer my questions?!"

"We were told not to let you in," Naruto said softly as he watched her aggravated struggle to break free from his grasp.

"Naruto, why?! Just let me in! I need to see him!"

"Sakura-chan..."

Struggling in vain, Sakura could feel her eyes begin to water. This could not be the end. She needed to see Sasuke's face one more time.

Sakura started pounding her fists hard against Naruto's chest in frustration. Each hit became weaker than the last as she found herself exhausted from the intensity of her feelings and her ineffectual thrashing.

Sakura stopped after some time and felt Naruto's arms wrap tightly around her shoulders. She surrendered to the comfort of his body and buried her twisted face in Naruto's chest. Sakura was trembling from anger and anxiety. With closed eyes, Naruto held her and slowly ran his fingers through her hair, trying to sooth her distress.

"Sakura-chan," Naruto said softly. "You have to be strong for him."

Sakura's sobs momentarily abated. There was no animosity in Naruto's voice when he mentioned Sasuke. She withdrew from his embrace and looked into his eyes. She could see no trace of anger, only empathy.

"Naruto..." Sakura shook her head, at a loss for words.

"It's...it's up to Tsunade now." She could see that he was conflicted. With a note of relief, she realized that Naruto had not completely forgotten how close he had once been with Sasuke after all these years.

As her tears fell down her cheeks, she mumbled, "I'm scared, Naruto."

Naruto averted her gaze and paused.

"I am too."

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Meanwhile, the two ANBU members had entered Tsunade's office, each leading Sasuke in with one arm. Tsunade was standing in front of her desk with Shizune next to her as the ANBU nins tossed Sasuke to the floor. He collapsed to his knees, with his hands tied behind his back and head lowered.

Tsunade felt her stomach leap a bit as she realized she finally had Uchiha Sasuke at her complete mercy. Unfortunately, he still retained many of his boyish features and resembled the image of him that she had stored in her mind throughout these long years.

"Uchiha...Sasuke," she said in a clear voice. Shizune had a concerned look on her face as she studied her sensei's intent expression.

Sasuke was silent and kept his head lowered.

"It has been a long time."

There was still no sign of recognition from him.

Tsunade asked in strict tone, "Do you know why you're here?"

Again, no reply.

Suddenly Tsunade felt anger swell up in her core. She walked over to his kneeling body and grabbed his chin forcefully, lifting his gaze up to meet hers. She narrowed her eyes.

"Tsunade-sama—" Shizune began disapprovingly.

It was a handsome face; Tsunade could almost see why Sakura would find it hard to refuse him her aid. His eyes, though, were vacant and unfeeling, as if he were trying to remove his soul from his body in its imminent death.

She let go of him momentarily, but Sasuke kept his head raised.

"Answer me," she pressed.

"I'm here so you can kill me," he said flatly.

Tsunade suppressed a feeling of surprise. He was not even going to put up a fight. She took a few steps back.

"You were brought here more quickly than I had expected." Tsunade paused.

"Did you come to my office willingly?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"I didn't want her to see me fighting or running away."

Tsunade knew who he was talking about. She cleared her throat, and felt a sudden need to justify her actions.

"Do you know how many crimes you have committed? Or how many people you've killed these past few years?"

"I haven't been keeping track."

"It's more than enough to warrant your death, Uchiha Sasuke-kun. Do you deny it?"

"No."

Tsunade sighed and folded her arms in front of her. His surrender had been less satisfying than she had envisioned. She had made her decision to kill him yesterday, but for some reason she hesitated. With each passing moment her resolve was dissolving. She would have to act now before she changed her mind. Shizune was shifting uncomfortably and had her mouth open slightly, as if she were debating whether or not to object.

"Then we'll get this over with," Tsunade told him quietly. Her tone had changed. There was no trace of malice.

"Are you ready?"

Sasuke bowed his head.

Tsunade unfolded her arms again and began concentrating blue chakra to her hands.

Shizune, who had been watching agitatedly, finally spoke up.

"Tsunade-sama..." she pleaded. "Tsunade-sama, please...He..."

Tsunade kept charging her hands, but said to her assistant, "Be quiet, Shizune. This is the way it has to end."

"Tsunade-sama! Tsunade-sama, please...stop!"

Tsunade felt annoyed. This was hard enough without her protests. "Shizune!"

"Tsunade-sama, it's too soon..."

The Hokage ignored her.

Shizune tried to rationalize with her teacher. "It's too soon! Please wait...Don't we need to find out what the council of elders thinks? They make the laws...maybe you don't have to do this! He needs a trial first..."

Shizune grew desperate as she saw Tsunade move slowly toward Sasuke's dejected form. She cried, "Tsunade-sama! Stop! He's just a boy—look at him!!"

In actuality, Tsunade was finding it difficult to summon the will to execute Sasuke. She had wanted to do this quickly so they could all put it behind them, but Shizune's cries were making it impossible to concentrate.

A part of her registered what her assistant had said. It was, in fact, true that the council of elders who oversaw the judicial system in Konoha had the right to determine the punishment of all criminals. It was also true that, in a normal situation, they would be given a trial first. Of course, Tsunade knew that it was only a loosely enforced policy for infamous traitors like Sasuke. There was no doubt as to what the verdict would be. He could not be vindicated, especially if he admitted to the charged crimes. Tsunade was also confident that the council of elders trusted her judgment and would have no objection if she killed him right here and now.

But...

Maybe it was too soon...not for him to die, but for her to kill him. That face was still too shockingly similar to the one he had as a boy. Tsunade cursed herself for her indecisiveness. Perhaps tomorrow, once she reviewed all the heinous crimes he had committed at a trial, she would have no reservations.

Tsunade slowly forced the chakra back into her palms while Shizune took a deep breath of relief and shook her head. Sasuke remained still.

Tsunade cleared her throat again.

"Uchiha Sasuke-kun," she said in her hardest voice possible. "You're lucky my assistant has pointed out some formalities in our judicial process. As a criminal, you do have the right to a trial in front of the council of elders."

Sasuke looked up at the Hokage.

Tsunade did not want to appear lenient, because she was not. "But don't get too comfortable. When you are found guilty, which I'm sure you will be, you will face the same end whether it is now or later."

Tsunade turned her back to him and walked back to sit down in the chair behind her desk. She signaled to the ANBU guards waiting by the door. "Lock Uchiha Sasuke in one of the cells in the prison for today. I'll request an emergency trial for him tomorrow morning and inform the Konoha elders of his return."

"Hai, Hokage-sama." Both ninjas bowed and walked over to Sasuke, lifting him up by the arms.

When the door opened, Sakura, who had crying on Naruto's shoulder, sat up from the bench immediately and swallowed hard. Her eyes watched Sasuke's body being led out by two ANBU nins.

"Sasuke..." she whispered.

For a minute she felt relief that he was still alive. But then she noticed the ANBU nins guiding him away from her.

"Wait!" Sakura cried, as she grabbed one ANBU nin's arm. "Where are you taking him!?"

"Haruno Sakura-san, please let go," said the ANBU nin calmly. He did not stop walking, and Sakura felt herself being dragged with them.

"Not before you tell me where you're taking him!" Sakura demanded.

"Tsunade-sama instructed us to take him to the prison for the day."

"What?" Sakura whispered as her grip slackened a bit. The ANBU nins kept walking away with Sasuke, and Sakura snapped out of her surprise. She ran to catch up with them.

"Wait! Can I go too?"

"Sorry, Sakura-san. There are no visitor hours for S-class criminals."

Then Sakura felt someone grip her arm, keeping her from following Sasuke.

"Sakura-chan..." It was Naruto.

She tried to break free all the while pleading with the ANBU nins.

"Let me stay with him...please!"

They ignored her and kept walking.

"_Please_!"

When they did not respond, Sakura grew frustrated, trying to use her whole body weight to cut loose from Naruto's grasp. Naruto shifted his body and wrapped his arm around her waist. She kicked around and wriggled her shoulders to no avail.

"Stop—!" Her voice was despairing. The ANBU nins were heading out the door.

When Sasuke's body disappeared, Naruto felt Sakura's body fall lifeless.

He called her name, but she did not respond. Her eyes were focused on empty space.


	25. Chapter 25

A/N: Haha, yes I'm still alive. I just realize I wrote myself into a hole. This long delay is the result of confusion on my part and a total lack of inspiration. Hope you're not too disappointed!

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The news of Uchiha Sasuke's return and impending trial spread quickly throughout the village of Konoha. Sakura's friends had wanted to keep her company for the rest of the day in her apartment, but Sakura told them she wanted to be alone.

She spent the day sitting by the prison building on the opposite side of the jounin guarding the door. She did not care what he thought; all she knew was that she needed to be as close to Sasuke as possible. When the guards changed shifts, she heard one of them whisper something to the other.

For the whole day she did not eat or speak; she just leaned her head against the cold, rough concrete and kept her gaze focused on the swaying of the trees.

During this time, she thought about everything that had happened in the past two weeks. It was amazing how much her world had changed once Sasuke had entered into the picture again. It was a series of incredible consequences that led her back to him.

If the Hokage had not assigned her to the task, would they ever have met again? If Sakura had actually read the mission report, would she have gathered the courage to partake in the task? What if Sasuke had followed the other pair of Shinobi that night?

The poisoned ANBU needle had brought him back to her, but she almost wished that it had never hit. If it had not, the last words he said to her would have been a death threat, but he also would not be locked in a prison awaiting his sentence. Maybe this was what he meant when he left her that night after bringing her back to Konoha. Maybe he knew it would end in something like this.

As the day passed into the evening, the lights above the door of the prison entrance clicked on. Sakura regretting not bringing a jacket as the cool night air prickled over her skin. She wrapped her arms around her knees and hugged them tight. As she rocked back and forth, she wondered how long she would stay. Maybe the whole night; she was just not ready to go yet.

At around eight o'clock, the particular jounin guard on duty, who had been shifting around uncomfortably for three hours, disappeared into the prison building. After a few minutes, he returned and walked right up to her.

Sakura looked up at him, wondering why he was suddenly confronting her. His face was awkward and a little confused.

"Haruno Sakura-san."

She stared at him expectantly.

"I...I spoke to the ANBU nins in charge of Uchiha Sasuke-san. They asked if you were still out here, and I told them you were."

She remained silent and her gaze fell to his shins covered by the familiar jounin bandages.

"They want you to leave..."

Sakura's eyes shot back up at him defensively.

"They can't do that," she said coarsely. She had not heard her own voice in a long time.

"They can. But...they also said they didn't expect you to go without something in return. So...they agreed to let you have five minutes with him."

Her heart practically jumped out of her chest from the excitement.

Five minutes. It was not much, but it was better than nothing. She stood up with newfound energy and looked at the jounin guard with wide eyes.

"What?" Sakura whispered. The guard tried avoiding her fixed gaze, embarrassed.

"Really?" she asked breathlessly.

He nodded, and he proceeded to unlock the prison door for her. "C8."

She gave a grateful look to him and then sprinted inside. Her legs were weak from disuse but spurred on by her sheer anticipation of seeing Sasuke. The halls were dimly lighted and she moved sideways, squinting to read the numbers on the doors. She stopped when she finally reached C8.

She knocked on the door impatiently. There was some muffled talking and then someone opened it. It was one of the two ANBU nin. Through the crack, Sakura could see that the other was sitting down on the chair behind a desk.

"Sakura-san," the ANBU said steadily. He seemed to take an eternity to open the door completely and get out of the way.

When the gap was wide enough, Sakura ran into the cell. She had never been in a prison before and felt a sudden chill from its austerity. The gray walls looked cold and depressing; it appeared every bit the appropriate quarters marking the transition from life to death. The room she entered was divided into two. The ANBU nins were in the half closer to the door where Sakura stood, and a faint, transparent blue wall separated them from the back half. She guessed that it was a shield of some sort.

Her stomach twisted uncomfortably when she noticed a figure sitting behind it. Sasuke was leaning his head back on the side wall. One of his knees were bent, the other lay flat against the ground. His left hand was grabbing the injured right one, which rested in his lap. He looked up at the sound of light footsteps.

Sakura paused in the middle of the room. She unconsciously clenched her fists, keeping her eyes focused on him.

Sasuke watched her silently.

Slowly Sakura walked right up to the shield and sat down with her legs tucked under her, her weight resting her shins. Sasuke instinctively moved toward her as close as possible. Her hand reached out.

"Sakura-san," the ANBU nin warned from behind, "the wall is made of chakra, so it would be in your best interest not to touch it."

She recoiled her hand. It seemed to hit her a few seconds later that this meant she would not be able to touch him. The realization was like a sharp jab to her stomach.

"Sasuke..." she whispered weakly as her eyes traveled over his body, checking for wounds. There did not seem to be any, but the bandages around his injured arm were bloodied again.

"What are you doing here?" he said in a low voice.

"I had to see you," she said softly.

"They told me you waited outside the whole day."

"Yes."

"Why?"

She smiled sadly and searched his face for understanding. "You can stop asking me that."

Sasuke looked at her intently for a moment, and then lowered his head and sighed. For awhile he was silent, and Sakura felt an intense desire to hold him. Soon the need for his touch became suddenly overwhelming. The barrier was translucent and thin, and he was so close; she wanted to feel his presence. It would be worth the sting.

"Sasuke-kun..."

He looked up abruptly, hearing something in her voice that caused alarm. His eyes were sharp.

"Sakura, don't touch it!"

Her hand paused a few centimeters away from the shield and she looked at him painfully.

"Sasuke," she choked out, "I can't...I have to..." Her body ached.

"Sakura," he said in a controlled, cautionary voice, "don't do it. This is not a normal chakra wall."

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, ignoring his warnings.

Sasuke felt the panic of a hundred small needles dig into his skin as he watched her. She was not listening, and he grew desperate. "Sakura! If you move your hand any closer—I will reach out and grab it to stop you."

Sakura opened her eyes quickly and gave him a pleading look. Sasuke had found the only way to make her change her mind—she did not want him to hurt himself.

Her hand withdrew and fell over her mouth. Sakura shifted her weight to the side and sat down hard on the cold stone floor. It felt so hopeless. Sakura did not want to cry in front of him, but it was impossible for her to keep her emotions in check now. Her tears flowed freely and soon she found herself sobbing violently, hiccupping from her despair and fear. Her pink hair which had spent the whole day being teased by the wind fell like a canopy over her face.

Sasuke thought he should say something. He never liked seeing her like this. He spoke after some time. "Sakura, this day was going to come."

This fact did not appease Sakura, and she continued to shake from her intense weeping.

Sasuke leaned closer to the barrier, so his nose was just barely unscathed.

"The Hokage told me that she'd do it quickly tomorrow...I won't even feel anything."

It was a lie, but it might make her feel better.

It did not. "How can you say that?" she spoke, horrified, between gasps. She looked up at him but she could not see Sasuke clearly, his image was blurred.

"Sakura," Sasuke sighed, "I don't want you to cry the last time I see you."

This only made her tears fall faster and her face twist up into an agonizing frown. Sasuke grew impatient.

"Look, we don't have much time. I have some things I need you to do for me."

Sakura took a few deep breaths. She sniffed heavily and used a hand to force the tears and hair out of her face. He had her attention now. If there was anything she could still do for him, whatever it was, she would. She shifted her body to face him again.

"What is it?" Sakura met his intent black eyes.

Sasuke paused and looked to the ground. His jaw tensed. Finally, he spoke in a quiet voice. "Tell Naruto...that I hope he can forgive me."

Sakura felt her shoulders drop. "He will, Sasuke, I know he will," she whispered reassuringly.

Sasuke shifted his gaze to the wall, keeping his face concentrated. He searched his mind for anything else he had wanted to get off his chest. "I want him to take care of you. Let Lee-san help too. He deserves you."

Sakura lowered her head. "Sasuke-kun..."

Then Sasuke remembered something. It was important. "Sakura, look at me."

She turned her head up again.

"When you're at the trial tomorrow...you're going to hear about a lot of the bad things I've done. I—"

"Sakura-san—You have two more minutes," the ANBU nin reminded her from behind. Sakura realized then with annoyance that they had been sitting by the desks, watching them the whole time. She hoped that their voices had been low enough not to be heard.

Sasuke felt the thrill of anxiety as he realized that time was running out. Whatever he had left to tell her, he had to get it out now. He felt dizzy all of a sudden and found it impossible to think with a clear head. What she meant to him, he hoped he had shown her already.

When he spoke again, it was with a resigned voice. "But no matter what you hear, no matter what you think of me afterwards, I want you to know...I meant everything I said and did last night."

"Okay." Her reply was barely audible.

It was easy for her to say that now, but Sasuke knew she did not understand the full extent of his crimes. He took an uneasy, deep breath. He cursed the stifling barrier that separated them as he rubbed his neck roughly. It was cruel, not being able to touch her one last time.

"Sakura."

She shifted herself back into the kneeling position and sat down on her legs. Her lips pressed together expectantly.

"This is it," Sasuke said softly, watching her with his head tilted.

He observed the lines on her face drawn by her drying tears. They shimmered in the dim prison lighting. Her eyes were wide in disbelief.

Sasuke straightened up. "You've rescued me already," he said. "So just let me go this time. It will be easier for everyone."

Sakura looked into his eyes which were filled with a focused passion. They were brave and reassuring. She had never thought that this might be what he had expected all these years, the inevitable end to a life desperately led.

"Sakura-san—"the ANBU nin interrupted uncomfortably.

Sakura turned her head around and Sasuke looked up at the ANBU guard.

"Time's up. You'll have to leave now."

Sakura felt her body sink into the ground. She was not ready.

"Just..." her voice broke off. Suddenly, she did not know what she was going to ask for. Five more minutes? Ten? Twenty? Would it be easier to leave then?

Sakura faced Sasuke again.

His expression was serious. "Sakura...get some rest."

Sasuke slowly supported his body into a standing position.

Sakura followed him and noticed the tiredness in her body for the first time as she attempted to stand still. Worrying all day had been exhausting. She leaned in as close as she could.

"Sasuke-kun," she whispered. For some reason she was calmer now.

She had never been one to hold back her feelings, but she wanted to make sure he knew.

"You're the only one. You know that...right? It has always been...just you—it is always going to be you. Remember that."

There was a heavy silence and Sasuke closed his eyes, trying to absorb the weight of her words and memorize the pitch of her voice. He knew she meant what she said now, but he wondered if she would take it all back tomorrow. Although she was obviously devoted, everyone had a limit. If the Hokage had on file half the crimes he had committed, there would be no way Sakura would not see him differently after the trial. Before, this information might have encouraged her to keep her distance. But now that he was caught, he did not want to die with her hating him.

Sakura observed Sasuke with his eyes closed, wondering what he was thinking about. The ANBU nin touched Sakura's forearm and she turned to the masked shinobi.

"Sakura-san."

It took all of Sakura's willpower to finally turn her back to Sasuke. But as soon as she did, she ran out of the cell, not daring to look back.


	26. Chapter 26

There was a buzz in the air as the shinobi of Konoha gathered outside the courthouse in the early morning. The villagers were curious as to what all the commotion was about and also congregated close to the where the ninjas were waiting. Whispers floated around and soon word got out that _the_ Uchiha Sasuke had finally returned after a seven-year absence. Several theories and rumors passed between members of the crowd, as everyone had his own take on what was going to happen.

Like any other shinobi, Sakura, Naruto and the rest of their friends who knew Sasuke best as a child were also present. Sakura was not tall enough to look over the multitude of people, so she would tug on Naruto's arm every few seconds to ask him whether he saw Sasuke yet. Naruto would stand on the tips of his toes and scan the area for any sign of his former teammate but would find nothing. Sakura wrung her hands periodically and squinted in the bright sun.

The clock tower chimed 10:00, and after a few more anxious minutes, a loud voice struggled over the murmurs of the crowd.

"Please make way, the Godaime and the village elders are coming through!" cried a chuunin-level ninja. He attempted to push through the masses and the crowd divided slowly. When a clear pathway formed, the shinobi stepped to the side and extended an arm in the direction of the Hokage.

Shizune passed first with a visibly concerned expression on her face, and then Tsunade, concealed in her Hokage cloak and headpiece, made her way through the walkway and up the marble white stairs. Next, the village elders joined them. Finally, when the people making up the tail end of the group came into view, the crowed shushed abruptly. The shinobi in question, Uchiha Sasuke, was led by a couple of ANBU nins and tied behind the back with chakra strings. Sasuke kept his head lowered, observing the nervous shuffling of many feet as he passed.

Sakura was in the middle of the left crowd, and her heart raced painfully as she tried to push her way toward him. The people in front of her did not yield, and Sakura found it frustratingly difficult to gain a better view. She cursed the voyeuristic crowd—they only wanted to get a glimpse of him to satisfy their perverse curiosity. Sakura, on the other hand, had barely gotten a wink of sleep last night, tormented by the unpredictable events that would come to pass of the following day. The image of Sasuke, still injured and sleeping alone on the cold prison floor, had festered in her mind and precluded any chance for a decent rest.

"Sasuke—!" Sakura cried out weakly.

A few people surrounding Sakura turned to look at her as she attempted to navigate around them.

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto warned from a few feet behind her.

Sasuke had heard her familiar voice, but he chose not to look her way. Her face now would be filled with a frightened and anxious expression, and he did not want to remember her that way. She was still ignorant, too—completely unaware of what she would hear this morning. Sasuke remembered how he had scared her by recounting one particular violent story that night in the woods. What she would hear today would be a thousand times worse.

"Sasuke—I'm here! Sasuke..." Sakura squeezed past a few more people, but by the time she got to the end of the crowd, Sasuke had already started up the stairs.

He and the ANBU wardens walked past the Hokage and Shizune and entered the courthouse. The Hokage stood at the top level of the stairs and addressed the crowd.

Tsunade cleared her throat and began in a serious tone, "As you all know, in a few minutes, we will commence the trial of an S-class criminal. I ask all shinobi to attend, as the man accused is a missing nin of Konoha. This will be a sober warning to you all about the consequences of betraying out village. As for the other citizens of Konoha, you also have the right to know the fate of traitors to the leaf, so you may listen in if you wish.

"That is all. Everyone who stays is expected to remain quiet. Anyone who disrupts the trial at any time will be forcefully removed."

Sakura swallowed and thought she saw the Hokage glance at her at that moment.

Tsunade surveyed the crowd and narrowed her eyes before turning around and walking through the courthouse doors held open by two chuunin shinobi. The Hokage cloak billowed threateningly after her brisk steps.

After checking back to make sure Tsunade, the elders, and Sasuke were properly positioned, Shizune ordered the Konoha shinobi to file up neatly.

Many of the younger nins seemed excited for the chance to see a real S-class criminal. Some other village girls exchanged flippant remarks about how unbelievably gorgeous the defendant was. Their giggles of the uninformed filled the courtroom with an incongruous levity. However, the older shinobi and citizens, who had either been friends with Sasuke or seen him grow up, wore expressions with varying degrees of anxiety and disappointment.

Sakura entered gripping Naruto's hand like a vise. The distinct smell of old wood penetrated the air as they walked along the aisles and aisles of empty benches.

At the end of the large, undecorated room sat the panel of judges made up of Tsunade in the middle and the elders by her side. Two Chuunins were positioned by Tsunade holding thick files.

Three men stood in the big empty space between the elevated level where the Hokage sat and where the public gallery was. They remained still with their backs turned to the crowd as the other shinobi settled into the seats. There were no chairs where Sasuke was, and the two ANBU kicked his calves forward to force him into a kneeling position before the Hokage. He fell hard on his knees but kept his head lowered. The ANBU-nins then moved to opposite sides of the courtroom, leaving the lone figure alone in the wide space.

It was upsetting to watch him, but Sakura kept her gaze fixed on Sasuke's familiar figure. His body looked so insignificant and vulnerable against the menacing backdrop of the Hokage and other officials of Konoha. She felt the urge to hold him and lend him what strength she had, but there was a significant distance and sizeable barrier between where Sakura sat with Naruto and where Sasuke knelt.

A few minutes after the audience had settled down, the Chuunin standing next to the Hokage called order and introduced the trial.

"Citizens, shinobi of Konoha, good morning. We will now commence the trial for the Konoha S-class criminal and missing-nin. Name: Uchiha Sasuke," he began, reading from a file. "Birthdate: July 23rd; Age: 20; Hair color: dark blue; Eye color: black; Blood type: AB; Surviving family: Uchiha Itachi, brother; Years of absence: 7; Number of cases on file: 66." He placed the file in front of Tsunade, and stepped back with a bow.

There was a murmur that swept through the crowd, betraying the surprise at the sheer number of crimes the younger Uchiha brother would be judged for. Sakura's eyes were wide as she sat up straight on the bench with her cold, idle hands in her lap, but she commanded herself to remain calm.

"Order!" Tsunade called out firmly. After a few more seconds, the crowd began to quiet again. Soon there was complete silence except for a few coughs and the sound of shifting bodies.

Tsunade flipped through some of the pages momentarily before looking down at the single figure in front of her. The weakness she experienced yesterday had passed. Since their last meeting, she had realized that this person was not a defenseless boy, but a cool, deliberate criminal. Before her were sixty six reasons why this traitor did not deserved an ounce of pity. Tsunade had told herself prior to this morning to remember the duty of her job. It was easier now than she had imagined.

When the Hokage finally spoke, her voice was calm and formal. "Uchiha Sasuke, I will now list the crimes that you have been accused for, either as the sole perpetrator or main accomplice. There are too many to go into much detail, so I will state them quickly. I will pause after each page, and at this time, you will be able to include any additional information in your defense if you feel what I say is incorrect or incomplete. Do you understand?"

Sasuke looked up at the Hokage, who appeared more ominous wearing her proper cloak and headpiece.

"Yes."

The first words he spoke sent a shiver through Sakura's body. She wondered then if she would have the heart to sit through the entire trial.

Tsunade's eyes turned down to the papers in front of her. She took a deep breath, and then began reading down the first page.

"You have been linked to the following: organizing a coup to displace the elders of the Hidden Cloud village...accepting numerous bribes totaling 500,000 gold coins from private businessmen... assassination of three feudal lords in the Country of Wind...destruction of the main bridge of commerce of Tanzaku-gai..."

With each allegation, Sakura felt her body sinking further and further down the bench. The Hokage listed these crimes so casually, but Sakura knew that each one had its own story. Every mission, no matter the nature, had to be formulated, calculated, and executed systematically. Maybe one or two of the crimes could have been excused citing a temporary lapse of judgment, but taken together, these transgressions were overwhelmingly condemning.

Tsunade paused at the end of the page and looked at Sasuke expectantly. "Do you have any objections to the list so far?"

After Sasuke shook his head, Tsunade turned the page and continued.

"Robbery of forbidden scrolls and weapons from the Hidden Mist plunder and devastation of the Hidden Waterfall village...kidnapping and torture of the Raikage's elder son...five counts of blackmail...assassination of twelve civilians in the tea country..."

Sasuke kept his gaze on the wood floor. He expected the list to be long and that Tsunade-sama would not be finished for some time. An uncomfortable knot twisted his stomach, not because he was hearing a recount of the "missions" he had assigned himself over the years, but because he sensed the growing horror of the shinobi and villagers in the building. His back felt like it was burning from the force of hundreds of terrified stares igniting his skin. All of them were bearable, save one.

Sasuke could not concentrate on the words that came out of the Hokage's mouth; he only shook his head in response to her obligatory question when he heard silence. His thoughts were focused on a particular young woman who was in the crowd somewhere behind him. Sasuke had warned her about her feelings, but he doubted she had anticipated him being as guilty as this. All this time he knew she had tried to think the best of him. She must be disappointed and stunned by the realization of his record. Maybe now she hated herself for trusting and healing him, and for letting him sleep with her at night. Perhaps she felt deceived and wished now their paths had never crossed.

Sasuke snapped out of his thoughts momentarily as he heard the Hokage pause and turn the page again.

"Arson in the forest of in Kusagakure, murder of 12 hunter-nins, conspiring against..."

For the next ten minutes, Tsunade-sama listed the many crimes Sasuke had been linked to. When she finished, Sasuke was actually surprised that they had only documented about half of his exploits. He had expected this to go on for another ten minutes.

For Sakura, however, the accusation list already extended to an unfathomable length. There was no way she could convince herself that the situation was not serious; Sasuke's fate appeared to be sealed after the first page. Moral transgressions like bribery and blackmail that would themselves cause Sakura to shrink paled in comparison to the more violent crimes. Surely no person with a conscience would have been able to torture an innocent individual or someone who begged for his life. In some allegations, Sasuke had even killed a stranger just because he had looked at him the wrong way or accidentally bumped into him.

Sakura's hands turned white as they gripped the end of the bench for support. It was as if Sasuke had sought out trouble and derived some sadistic pleasure from cold-blooded murder. This man—her former teammate, her friend, her—

Sakura refused to believe it.

Tsunade closed a large folder and clasped her hands over the table. She looked down at Sasuke's figure kneeling on the hard, wood floor below. His midnight colored hair obscured his face.

"Do you deny any of this?" she asked him steadily.

Sasuke had not listened carefully to the reports, but he remembered some of them and figured they were all true. At any rate, it did not matter; small modifications would not change the overall picture.

"No," Sasuke replied quietly.

Sakura closed her eyes and inhaled a trembling breath. The disappointment was growing steadily in the pit of her stomach. Each of Sasuke's crimes felt like a weight on top of her body. As she pressed her lips together hard, the soreness of her tense muscles began to overcome her. She believed that physically she would not be able to hear any more.

The Hokage remained still, observing Sakura's reaction from the corner of her eye. She then asked Sasuke, "Are you sorry for what you've done?"

That was a strange question. He was sorry he was caught. He was sorry Sakura had to hear about his crimes. But at the time, power had been an addiction, and the fear in his victim's eyes a satisfying testament to his strength. There was a comfortable swiftness in his movements during an assassination that was rehearsed and experienced. He could even break it down into stages—first, the victim would fight, then when he sensed his vulnerability he would start to negotiate, and finally when Sasuke did not relent, the victim would resort to shameless begging.

It was not difficult to take the life of a stranger, but no matter whom it was, there was always a point right before Sasuke delivered the death stroke that he thought he did not have to do this, that he could stop. It was then that Itachi's face would invade his consciousness, mocking him for his weakness. This taunting always solidified his determination, bringing Sasuke to deliver the final blow amid pathetic screams for mercy. A shiver of pleasure would roll down his spine as he felt the sticky, warm blood percolating through his fingers. He swore sometimes he could sense the weight of the soul vaporizing in the air as he extricated it from its body.

Whenever he silenced his brother's words, Sasuke felt like he was one step closer to defeating him. Itachi would eventually see that he was not the weak little brother anymore; Sasuke had the heart to kill, and he proved it to himself time and time again. Each instance he soiled his hands, Sasuke vowed that the moment he finally faced his brother, he would not hesitate.

Ending another person's life was a challenge at first, but soon it became a strikingly cathartic experience.

It had been enough to live for.

"Well—?" the Hokage's voice interrupted his thoughts, "I asked you if you were sorry."

He would be honest.

"No."

Sakura felt as if her body were falling, suddenly swallowed up by the ground below. The decisions she had made, the world that she had believed in, nothing was right anymore. Sasuke could not even say anything in his own defense. Sakura shook her head steadily in a mixture of disbelief and frustration. He had his chance to tell everyone he was mistaken and misunderstood, but he had not. Everything the Hokage had accused him of then must be true, and Sasuke felt no hint of shame or remorse for any of it.

What they experienced together—could that have all been a lie? Was she just a way for him to heal his body so he could go on committing crimes and writing them off as the means toward some damn ambition?

"Please repeat that for the court," the Hokage requested.

"No...I am not sorry for what I did," Sasuke said clearly.

The Hokage began speaking again, but Sakura did not register a word. It was no longer enough to sink down in her seat or bury her face in Naruto's shoulder. She felt like the walls were closing in and suffocating her, and she was powerless to stop them. Her vision was getting blurry and there was a sharp pounding on her temples. The only option was to get out of this room as soon as possible.

"Naruto," she whispered weakly.

He faced her with saddened blue eyes.

"I...I have to go."

His expression turned to one of concern. "Sakura-chan, you can't," he reminded her.

"I have to."

"Sakura-chan, you'll get in trouble," Naruto said. But as soon as he uttered the words he knew that the last thing she cared about was getting in trouble with the Hokage. He searched her expression for something unsettling. "Sakura-chan, should I be worried about you?"

She tried to force a reassuring smile. "No...I just need some air."

With that, Sakura stood up quickly and scooted herself past the knees of many shinobi to get to the aisle. When she did, she ran as quietly as possible toward the exit. People turned their attention away from the trial to watch the pink-haired kunoichi dash out of the courthouse.

The Chuunin guarding the door tried to make eye contact with the Hokage, awaiting her order. Without uttering a word with regard to the matter, Tsunade met his gaze and nodded at the Chuunin guard. He stepped out of the way and Sakura used her weight to pull open the heavy doors, freeing herself from multitude of curious eyes.

The sudden burst of sunlight surprised those who did not see Sakura run out, and inquiring voices broke out in the courtroom.

The last thing Sakura heard as she rushed down the stairs was the Hokage yelling, "Order! Order!"

The tremendous confliction in Sakura's heart begged to be resolved as she sprinted through the deserted streets. She needed to be alone to sort out her feelings, even if it meant not knowing the result of the trial when everyone else did or seeing Sasuke for what might be the last time. As she rounded the corner of the main street, she asked herself if she even wanted to. Right then, she could only think of how he had confused, tortured, and frustrated her for so long—too long.

When she reached her apartment, she fumbled with her keys to open the door. After securing the three locks on the door behind her, Sakura threw her keys on the table and proceeded to draw the blinds in the living room. With a possessed energy, she also shut the door to the bathroom and quickly closed the curtains in the bedroom. When she finished, the cool stillness of the apartment contrasted sharply with her agitated state.

Without thinking, Sakura took of her shoes and threw them to the side, and then she climbed into bed and curled up under the covers. She buried her face into one of the pillows, trying to drive out the anxiety that had taken a secure hold on her mind. Before long, however, she noticed the distinct smell of the sheets and realized then she was on Sasuke's side of the bed. Her eyes tightened shut as she rolled on to her back, brushing the hair out of her face and trying to control the swelling of tears. When she opened them again, she sat up suddenly and gripped the pillow, throwing it across the room in a paroxysm of anger.

For a minute she breathed heavily and stared distrustfully on the white pillow lying still on the floor as if it were contaminated. She looked around her room and much to her dismay, the photo of team seven sitting on her dresser caught her misting eyes.

Sakura leaned over and buried her face in her trembling hands, feeling the warmth of the tears trickling down her cheeks.

It was so unfair; how could one man affect her like this? She knew about his past, so why did she feel so frightened and betrayed?

In the back of Sakura's mind, she had always held on to a small hope that it was all a lie and that Sasuke exaggerated the nature of his crimes to push her away. When he was with her she had never gotten the impression of a killer; she had been confident that the owner of that peaceful sleeping face she had adored the last few days they had spent together could not have done all those things.

This morning, however, seeing the heaps of files implicating him and hearing the words spoken directly from the Hokage's mouth forced everything Sasuke had done into the limelight. It was all excruciatingly real now.

Still, Sakura had told herself before the trial that no matter how bad it was, she would stay by his side. And she might have, in spite of all the condemning evidence, had he not made it so difficult. It was one thing if he was sorry for the crimes, but his responses showed that he was completely unrepentant.

How could she love a man like this—bloodthirsty, merciless, with no regard for human life? Now, it was more than just about what he did, it was who he was that troubled her. That was scary to admit, but Sakura was tired of being disillusioned and feeling helpless. The fact was, Sasuke could not give her his love and protection. She realized now how foolish she was to have ever expected it.


	27. Chapter 27

A/N: 28 will be the last chapter.

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Back at the courthouse, Tsunade tried to calm the distracted crowd.

"Order!" she commanded firmly.

Tsunade herself was surprised that Sakura had left midway through the trial. There was a small but frightening possibility that Sakura would do something to hurt herself, and Tsunade debated whether to send either Naruto or Lee after her. She met Naruto's eyes but he turned up his palms, indicating that he knew only as much as Tsunade did. Tsunade sighed inwardly, but decided to trust her instincts which told her that Sakura just needed some space. Tsunade knew that her shinobi, especially Sakura, were not that rash, even in trying situations.

"Order!" she cried again. The din of the audience lowered momentarily, and Tsunade returned her gaze to the kneeling figure in front of her. A subtle change had occurred; Tsunade noticed his eyes were shut more tightly and shoulders sagged a bit more than before, as if he were digesting something painful in his mind.

For a fraction of a second, Tsunade felt a flicker of sympathy for this boy. He had walked alone all these years, but now, he must feel more alienated than ever. The evidence was damning, and the only person who might have had some compassion for his soul had abandoned him.

Tsunade shuffled some papers uncomfortably and continued the interrogation.

"Uchiha Sasuke, we will judge you based on the information and evidence presented now," she said with a renewed calm.

Sasuke opened his eyes again, and they appeared heartbreakingly defeated. To him, the only verdict he cared about had already been delivered, and it was guilty.

"This is your chance to say something on your own behalf," the Hokage said.

Sasuke exhaled and focused at the interface between the floor and the judge's panel. It was difficult to search for some words in his defense. It seemed foolish to try to justify his actions, especially when he knew everyone in the building was already convinced that he should suffer for his crimes.

Tsunade tapped the table a few times and watched his thoughtful and slightly confused expression.

"Uchiha Sasuke. If you do not offer the court any reason to spare your life, you will be convicted for sure," she warned.

When he did not respond, she added, "The likely punishment for crimes of this caliber is death."

Sasuke opened his mouth. Tsunade studied him with her chin supported by her knuckles. She half expected the young man to snap into a tirade, blaming everything he had done on his dysfunctional past and infamous brother. An explanation would not be unjustified, and it may even win over some shinobi who, while disagreeing with his methods of revenge, sympathized with his motivations. There was a chance Sasuke would come across as crazy and violent, but it would be beneficial for him to get it all out, especially if this was to be his last day alive.

Sasuke closed his mouth again, and paused before finally saying softly, "I've got nothing."

Tsunade raised her eyebrows curiously. He chose to die, then, with all the angst locked in his chest. She did not anticipate him to go so quietly.

"Are you trying to mock the court?" she snapped.

"No," he replied softly.

Tsunade reclasped her hands in front of her and was speechless for a moment at the sheer one-sided-ness of it all. It almost did not seem necessary to continue. An elder leaned over to Tsunade's shoulder and whispered something in her ear.

When he withdrew, Tsunade addressed Sasuke again. "Uchiha Sasuke...why did you commit the crimes you did?"

The answer was simple. "For power," he said quietly but clearly.

Sasuke did not include "to kill Itachi." He remembered that he had planned to be focused on only one face in his memory as he accepted his death. It still lent him comfort, however bittersweet. Sasuke found himself wondering where she was now, what she was doing, and whether she truly hated him. His fists clenched behind his back as he lowered his head again, recalling the earth-shattering shock that ran through his body when he had knocked off that ANBU mask and saw her loosened pink tresses fall over the hand gripping her neck. It had been the first real fear he had felt in a long time. A part of him knew that from then on, his life would not be the same, and it had been right. Since that fateful moment, she had awoken emotions in him that he never thought existed. Though the situation was less than ideal now, at least he had something to hold onto, something substantial he could carry with him to the grave.

"Is that all?" the Hokage pressed.

Sasuke paused.

"Yes."

Tsunade noticed then that the courtoom was deathly silent. There was no reason to draw this out much longer.

"Then say your final words to the court." Her voice was softer and less abrasive than before.

Sasuke tried to sort out all the thoughts that were flooding his mind, but he soon got tired of it. With his gaze focused on some random point in space, he spoke again.

"I can't take back what I did...I don't even know if I would want to...Everything happened for a reason; if I wasn't where I was two weeks ago, I wouldn't have met...someone."

He was just thinking aloud, knowing he was not making much sense.

"If I hadn't committed all those crimes and gotten so deep into this...then..." he hesitated. "...then I wouldn't have known what it was to be saved."

When Sasuke lifted his face to meet Tsunade's at the end of his sentence, she instinctively avoided his dark eyes. They were almost sensitive in their search for some hint of understanding, and this unnerved her more than she wanted to admit. Tsunade knew who he was talking about, of course. Though she was relieved that he had not used Sakura all this time, for some reason she also suddenly felt guilty, as if this man was innocent, and she was the criminal. Luckily that flash of shame only lasted for a second, and Tsunade quickly regained her composure when she realized how silly it was.

After all, despite everything he said, that woman was poignantly absent.

"No one is saving you now, Uchiha Sasuke," Tsunade said plainly.

He stared at his knees again and pressed his lips together. The Hokage did not understand, but he had said all he wanted to say and there was no point in delaying the inevitable.

"Hokage-sama, given the reports, it would be stupid to beg for my life. Do as you please with me...I won't resist," he said evenly.

There was a murmur of surprise from the crowd as Tsunade furrowed her eyebrows and met his resigned eyes. She eventually sighed and organized some loose papers on her desk.

Before she deliberated with the elders, there was one final formality to get through.

Tsunade addressed the crowd. "If anyone else has something to say on behalf of this man, please speak now." She tried to give an unbiased scan of the audience, but she was especially sensitive to Naruto's reaction. He had perhaps the most at stake here of those present, being Sakura's best friend and Sasuke's former teammate.

The blonde shinobi wore a pensive expression on his face, trying to determine the best course of action. Sasuke had been out of his life for so long; given what Naruto had learned about the nature of his crimes, as far as he was concerned, this person was nothing more to him than a stranger who deserved to pay for all his transgressions. Though he could not guess how close Sakura had gotten to Sasuke over the last couple weeks, Naruto knew that even after all these years she reserved a soft spot in her heart for him. Her panic yesterday morning had been the most flustered he had ever seen her, and it spoke volumes of about what Sasuke meant to her.

Sakura would be devastated if Sasuke died, and Naruto did not want to be the one to tell her the news. For some reason he instinctively took responsibility for Sakura's happiness, ever since Sasuke had left Konoha as a child. Naruto remembered what Sakura had told him before he embarked on the mission to recover their runaway teammate.

"_The only one who can surely bring him back...is you, Naruto."_

And at that time he had smiled confidently.

_The promise of a lifetime._

Naruto clenched his fists until they hurt and then released his grip with a heavy sigh. He never went back on his words, but this promise remained unfulfilled.

Naruto debated with himself for a few more seconds, but the image of Sakura's happy face took over his mind. He would do all he could to protect it. He had failed to save Sasuke once; this time he would carry out the task.

Finally, Tsunade saw Naruto raise his right hand in the air slowly.

"Naruto-kun. Please stand up." she said.

Sasuke's stomach dropped when he heard the Hokage call out his ex-teammate's name. He knew there was no chance in hell Naruto would defend him, not after the way they had parted long ago. Perhaps Naruto would ask the Hokage to deliver the slowest, most excruciating punishment known to exist.

Naruto obeyed and felt hundreds of eyes focus on his body.

"Tsunade-sama," he began with a small bow. In an everyday situation, he was pretty casual in addressing his Hokage, leaving off the -sama or simply calling her old granny. He was about the only one she allowed to do this, so long as he had the sense to speak to her formally in front of others. This was one of those occasions.

"What have you got to say, Naruto?"

Naruto decided not to cause a scene here in the courtroom and instead try to convince the Hokage in private to spare Sasuke's life.

"About his punishment..." Naruto could not even bring himself to say his ex-teammate's name. "I have no opinion. But I request to be present when you carry it out."

Sasuke's eyebrows raised. This was something he did not expect. So Naruto wanted to watch him take his last breath.

"For what reason?" the Hokage asked suspiciously.

Naruto searched his mind.

"It will help me...better understand the Hokage's duty." He congratulated himself for thinking up an excuse, considering using his brain was not something he was terribly good at.

Tsunade thought for a moment while watching the young man who would most likely be the successor to her title.

"Naruto-kun," she said through narrowed eyes. "The Hokage needs to be fair, even to old teammates. Since this is a position you want so much, it would be in your best interest to learn this as early as possible. Your request will be granted."

As Naruto sat down again, Tsunade asked if anyone else had anything to say. When she was met with silence, Tsunade declared, "Then this trial is over. Please be still for a few minutes while the elders and I deliberate on a verdict, and if necessary, a punishment suitable for these crimes."

Tsunade stood up and exited through a door in back, followed by the elders. Low murmurs diffused through the crowd and a few accusatory fingers pointed toward the offender. Sasuke kept his gaze forward, trying to prepare himself for what he was sure he would hear.

After a few minutes, Tsunade came back into the courtroom and sat down to address the anxious assembly.

"It was an easy decision. Uchiha Sasuke, you are hereby found guilty of all the charges brought against you. I have been given the authority to punish you as I see fit."

She scrutinized the masses of shinobi sitting in the front rows with narrowed eyes. They all appeared solemn, and even a little penitent. "Let this be a lesson to all of you. Hopefully you will think twice before becoming a traitor to this village. It is not worth it; your crimes are bound to catch up to you."

There was complete silence for a moment as the shinobi registered the threatening tone in her voice.

"That is all. Citizens and shinobi of Konoha, you are all dismissed."

People started standing up and filing out the door soberly, directed by a few Chuunins.

Tsunade stood up and said over the din of the crowd, "Uchiha Sasuke, Uzumaki Naruto, you are coming with me to my office."

The two ANBU wardens picked Sasuke's limp body up from the floor roughly and led him toward the back exit after the Hokage. Naruto hopped swiftly over the barrier and followed them through a door on the side of the courtroom.

The five shinobi walked in silence down a long corridor, up a few flights of stairs, and then down another hallway. The courtroom and the official government headquarters were conveniently connected, though from the outside they looked like two separate buildings.

Tsunade pressed a finger on the sensor to open the heavy glass doors, and soon the shinobi found themselves in the familiar first floor of the Hokage building.

When they reached her office, Tsunade thanked and excused the ANBU nins, who gave a low bow and left. She took over the hold on Sasuke's arm, and led him inside. Naruto followed behind them, careful not to meet the eyes of his old teammate.

Sasuke looked around at the office; it was exactly as he had remembered—not that he had much time to forget. He was struck with a feeling of déjà vu, noticing how similar the situation was to that of the previous morning. The ending, however, was bound to be different.

Tsunade walked toward her desk, and turned around in front of it. Sasuke and Naruto stood side by side, separated by a considerable distance and each refusing to acknowledge the other. Tsunade could not help but think back to those days when the young men were merely innocent boys engrossed in a silly, but harmless rivalry. Times sure had changed. Children whom she had once had to bend down to talk to now towered over her. Their potential, too, had developed remarkably, though, on Sasuke's part, not in the way she had hoped. The two of them were standing before her now as experienced shinobi, with a few more scars on their bodies and regrets hidden in their souls.

"Uchiha Sasuke," she said finally.

He had kept his eyes fixed on her entire time.

"You have left me no choice. Your fate will follow all other S-class criminals who have been captured before you...it will be death," she said calmly.

Sasuke's head lifted a little higher, but he remained silent. Naruto shifted uncomfortably, deciding when to interrupt.

Tsunade continued, "You should understand that I need to make an example of traitors like you. Our reputation as a village will be tarnished if I let you go."

Sasuke watched her vacantly.

"Naruto-kun," Tsunade finally said, "please stand to the side."

"Tsunade..." Naruto began to protest, with his piercing blue eyes urgently fixed on her in a serious entreaty.

Tsunade had an idea of what was to follow. It would not be the first time he used that intent expression of his to try to convince her of something. In the usual situation, she would most likely cave in while cursing him for his persuasiveness. She had not meant to play favorites over the years, but there was no doubt Naruto was one of her most determined and reliable shinobi. He also held a special place as the one who had woken her out of a downward spiral of decadence to resume the position that her grandfather had established. But even he would not be able to stop her when she made up her mind.

"Please move. You wanted to come here to understand the Hokage's duty. So step aside and watch," she replied with controlled firmness.

"Tsunade, there is another way. You don't have to do this," he stated.

"Be quiet and do what I just told you."

"There's another way. Tsunade—"Naruto repeated more heated this time, while taking a step forward.

"Naruto!" Tsunade turned her sharp brown eyes toward him. "I didn't let you come here so you can plead for his life."

"That's not what I'm doing!" he exclaimed, as he took a few more steps closer. He was now right in front of her; he wanted to make her understand. Naruto tried to take her arm, but she pulled it away fiercely.

"Are you trying to defend this man? After what he has done?" Tsunade asked in disgust.

"Tsunade..." Naruto said with a calmer, but more callous voice. "I say this on Sakura's behalf, not my own. I personally don't care if this son-of-a-bitch lives or dies. But I also believe he would suffer more if he was forced to face all those he betrayed. Why not let him stay in the village...only make it so he couldn't hurt anyone—"

Tsunade did not want a repeat of what happened last morning, nor did she like how Naruto was contradicting her in front of another shinobi, even if it was Sasuke.

"Naruto!" Tsunade said through clenched teeth. "Leave my office. Now."

Naruto loss his patience and threw his hands up in the air. "Can't you see he's not even sorry?! What would be the point in killing him today?!"

"Naruto!" Tsunade's eyes were wide with offense at her insolent subordinate.

Naruto met her expression with added determination. He could not hold back and tried to grab the Hokage's shoulders to reason with her more directly. "Think about her, damnit! Think about Sakura! She's important to you, I know it!"

Tsunade was shocked by his audacity and immediately shook away his hands from her body.

Undiscouraged, Naruto continued his desperate entreaty. "I don't want to see her sad again—I know you don't either—"

Tsunade felt the heat starting to boil inside of her. Her patience had been spent a long time ago; she had half a mind to send this boy flying across the room.

"Naruto, watch yourself!! You are way out of line! No matter who you are, I am still your Hokage and you _will_ obey me. Right now I am _commanding_ you to leave!"

"Please...Tsunade...please...I'm begging you ...at least take into consideration what—"

"Out! Now!"

"Tsunade-sama, I—"

"I will not warn you again!" Her livid eyes turned to his, her hand raised and ready to strike.

Naruto stiffened as he looked at the Hokage's furious expression, and his gaze fell to the ground. After an exasperated breath, he turned around abruptly and started walking toward the exit. He did not look at Sasuke as he passed him, and as he left, he suppressed a desire to slam the door.

Tsunade exhaled angrily when he left, shaking her head in disbelief. She leaned her weight against the edge of her desk and took a moment to calm down after Naruto's outburst.

"Uchiha Sasuke-kun," she said after a few moments, with a renewed restraint.

He had been silent all this time, a little confused at the most recent argument. All the while he had expected Naruto to damn him to hell and watch him suffer with a smirk on his face. Though Sasuke would die without ever having exchanged a word with Naruto in seven years, it was comforting that that kid still took Sakura's happiness seriously. Naruto would take care of her, and that was what was important.

_Sakura..._

He lost himself again in thought. On the outside, today he would pay the ultimate price for committing all those gruesome, merciless acts. Although to this moment he still did not regret a single crime, he would agree with everyone else in the world that he did have some sins to atone for. In his mind, he could view his death as a punishment for never acknowledging Sakura and being blind to her suffering all these years. His past selfishness and insensitivity riddled him with guilt, and when he spun it that way, he decided he could die for that. He deserved to die for that.

When he considered all things together, it was not so bad.

Tsunade's voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

"During your trial," Tsunade began. She wanted to clear the air about one issue before he never had the chance to again. "You never talked about that incident...or your brother. Don't tell me you have forgotten about him."

_Itachi..._

Sasuke felt a small pang in his stomach; it had been awhile since anyone had mentioned his brother.

"A day doesn't pass that I don't think about him," Sasuke said softly with closed eyes. His past was always a secret pain, something that motivated his every move but remained purposefully hidden from others.

Tsunade suddenly found it difficult to look at his defeated figure. Sasuke seemed more vulnerable now, more like the young boy she remembered seven years ago than ever.

"Are you afraid of dying?" she asked him in a more gentle voice.

"No," he responded calmly. It was the truth. He added, "You once gave me back my life...so it is yours to take away."

The Hokage shut her eyes painfully. As she was preparing herself for seeing Sasuke alive for the last time, her mind involuntarily traveled to the time she had first come across him. He had been unconscious in the hospital after being subjected to his brother's Mangekyou Sharingan, and Tsunade had healed him. Little did she know then that things would end up like this.

After a long pause, she gave a heavy sigh.

"It will be a relief, won't it," Tsunade said as she opened her eyes again.

So she understood.

"Yes," he whispered.

Tsunade swallowed and removed her weight from her desk, standing up straight.

"Then let's get this over with. I will make it fast. You have nothing to worry about."

Sasuke dropped his head so his face was out of view. "Hokage-sama..." His voice trailed off.

"Do you have any last words?"

He hesitated for a moment while staring at the patterns in the carpet under him. Sasuke was not one to reveal his private feelings to anyone, especially the Hokage, but now at the end, he realized there was something he had not said to Sakura. He thought he had shown her, but she might have forgotten after her disillusionment today. Even if she would scorn his words, for what it was worth, he wanted to tell her that everything he had done had been in earnest. If this was the only way he could communicate with her, he would have to tell it to the Hokage.

Eventually, he spoke in a low voice. "Just tell Sakura..."

Tsunade watched him struggle inwardly, as if he was debating whether or not to expose some highly classified information. It was a challenge for someone like him who was not used to confiding in anyone, and he stuttered uncomfortably.

"Tell her that I...I love her—I've loved her for so long without knowing it—and that I'm sorry."

The Hokage suppressed a breath that threatened to take the wind out of her lungs. There was a pause as she tried to curb the soreness building in her core. Even if she was a realist and not a romantic, she had not gotten so cynical that she was incapable of discerning the tone of honest tenderness in someone's voice.

"What is she to you?"

Sasuke lifted his head. "I don't know...I just...I just see in her eyes...everything I wish I was..."

Tsunade did not want to hear the rest, but he was not finished.

"...But...I was reckless." This statement was charged with pure regret, a bitter remorse she had not heard at the trial—and perhaps never had all her life.

Tsunade took a long, deep breath. When she first walked into that hospital room seven years ago, the vase by the bed had caught her eye. It was filled with two white daffodils that had been modestly, but affectionately placed. They had been fresh and renewed everyday, along with the hope of the little girl who had brought them. Tsunade noticed the anxiety and exhaustion in those eyes and realized that this child must have spent most of her time at the hospital, just in case that day would be the day her friend's unresponsive body would suddenly awaken. Even at that age, there was something between them. Tsunade did not know what it was then, but she had an idea now.

Tsunade shook her head sadly. There was a steady gloom growing in her heart that was getting more difficult to ignore by the second.

"Sasuke-kun, I will tell her."

He watched her straighten up.

Then, Tsunade's face hardened necessarily into an expression of forced determination.

She said a little stiffly, "It will take a few minutes to charge up my chakra. I will aim for your chest with both of my hands. At first, you will feel a small pain, like needles pressing into your skin. But this will only last for a fraction of a second. Before your nerves can sense the full force of the attack...you will be gone.

"Do you understand?"

Sasuke nodded.

"Prepare yourself...and do not resist. It will only prolong your death."

Sasuke lifted his head, pressed his lips together, and shut his eyes. This whole morning had felt like an eternity, and a part of him was thankful that it would be over soon.

When he heard the swirling wind of the chakra starting to whisper in the Hokage's hands, he thought back on his life. Twenty years. It did not sound like much, but he had been forced to grow up too fast. Some people were just starting to discover what life was all about, but he already felt spent. Maybe his fate had been sealed from the beginning. The power and prestige of his family name had been his greatest asset, but also his greatest curse.

The voice—that singular voice that taunted him before he killed another man, filled his consciousness. Ironically, it sprung up now he that was expecting his own death.

"_Foolish little brother..."_

Sasuke's eyebrows furrowed as the sound of chakra began getting louder.

"_If you wish to kill me—hate me, spite me..."_

The image of his parents, bloody and lifeless on the floor of their home, flashed in his mind.

"_Survive pathetically and run, run..."_

His brother, his hero, loomed over him with the coldest, most foreign eyes.

"..._and cling desperately to life."_

The words had been like a leash, driving him along his path as an avenger. He could never forget them; the horror of that fateful night was so long ago, but always, always with him. As long as he was alive, there would be that voice in his head. Soon, though, it would be silenced. He would cease to exist. _It_ would cease to exist. And what a beautiful, liberating feeling that would be. That haunting voice would finally be silenced.

_Finally silenced_, he repeated to himself with a faint smile creeping onto his face.

The sound of chakra was even louder now, and there was a distinct squeaking noise not unlike his chidori. Perhaps the Hokage could summon the same speed without the running start. Oddly enough it impressed him, and for a split second he wondered what type of jutsu it must be.

Then, Sasuke remembered that he had told himself to think of something else when the time came. It was another voice, now, that saturated his memory—innocent, hopeful, but not without a trace of sorrow.

"_I know what happened to your family, but a thing like revenge will never bring anyone happiness. It will not bring you happiness."_

His smile faded. She had been right.

"_Sasuke, do you plan to be alone again? You were the one who told me about the pain of loneliness. Right now, I feel that pain too. Even though I have family and friends, without you in my life...I will still be lonely."_

The sad tone had melted his cold heart, but that conversation was not a pleasant memory.

Sasuke forced himself to remember more recent events as he heard the Hokage footsteps, walking towards him.

A different set of scenes involuntarily flashed in his mind.

That night was a blur of emotions. Gentle kisses gave way to a more desperate desire and they tumbled out of the bathroom with hasty urgency. The warmth of her breath, the sweetness of her smell, and the smoothness of her slick skin were overwhelming his senses. Now, the cool sheets tangled around their heated bodies as they moved instinctively, driven by an insatiable force. His hands dragged along the inside of her forearms and then clasped hers tightly. He whispered something incomprehensible and soon became sensitive to every deep moan, every trembling gasp, and every thrilling shiver. Her swollen lips stung his face; sharp fingernails dug into his bare back. Then her head pressed hard into the pillow and she shuddered repeatedly, face twisted up in a tight wince. His name spilled out like a cascade over her slackened mouth as her chest heaved rhythmically under his. He saw her flushed cheeks were stained by tears that, for once, were not shed in sadness. That feverish sensation—an un-nameable pleasure...

She had been completely his that night. They had felt each other in every fiber of their being.

Sasuke clenched his fists behind his back.

"_You're the only one. You know that...right? It has always been...just you—it is always going to be you. Remember that."_

He planned to. It would be his last memory.

The sound of chakra was deafening now, and before he could wonder how far the Hokage had gotten, he felt her palms pushing against his chest in a sudden, forceful movement.

_This is the end, _he thought.

Sasuke's body flew back and crashed against the wall, and then it fell limp and collapsed to the floor.

The pain was coursing though his veins like a thousand sharp stabs. It was engulfing his body, and he wondered whether it would end. Every second that passed was like torture—and the feeling only became stronger, more pronounced with time. The Hokage had lied.

_But..._

_Pain...what is this pain_...he squinted and then opened his eyes. The sensation was beginning to plateau into a constant throbbing.

He was breathing hard.

He was still alive.

_Had she missed? _

_Impossible..._

Was she going to torture him before killing him? Sasuke had not expected this. He shifted his body painfully so he could accept her next attack straight on. Hopefully it would kill him this time. He did not care much for dragging things out.

It was agonizingly difficult to stand up, but he did so slowly, teetering for a minute before regained his balance. Re-closing his eyes, he waited.

"Uchiha Sasuke." The voice was slightly tremulous. She was close to him now.

He opened his eyes again and looked down to meet her gaze.

"Does your body hurt?" she asked as she studied the faint trace of smoke emanating from his chest.

"Yes."

Sasuke did not know what to think. What was she doing?

Tsunade turned her back to him and walked toward her desk again.

"I can't kill you," she said simply. There was a tone of frustration in her voice.

She had spared his life?

"Why?"

"I don't know," she said flatly.

The silence that followed was more deafening than the chakra that had pierced the air a few minutes before.

"Hokage-sama," he said, trying to stand up straight despite the intolerable pain in his chest. "If you ask it of me...I'll do it myself."

"Do whatever you please, but I've made my decision, Sasuke-kun. I am not like you. I understand that in some situations, killing causes more problems than it solves."

She turned to face him again with narrowed eyes.

"However, you're lucky Kakashi-sensei is dead. He told me privately...if and when you returned, whatever the purpose, he would finish anything I failed to do. As your teacher, he felt responsible for your crimes...

"I'll have you know...he was never one to regret his past, but he died disappointed in you."

A different ache seared through Sasuke's chest then.

Tsunade noticed his face contort slightly for a second. "That pain you feel right now, it's not from my attack is it..."

He did not respond.

"It is the pain of betrayal."

Tsunade went to her desk and distracted her hands by organizing some papers. It was clear, however, that her thoughts were not centered on cleaning up right now. She paused suddenly and stared at him.

"Do you even know what state they were in when they came back to Konoha after I sent them to recover you? Chouji pushed himself to the very threshold of death; Neji suffered chakra burns so severe there were holes through his body. They didn't even know you, you were just another shinobi, but they would have died for you. And Naruto...yes Naruto. You didn't see his devastation then, but I did. Sakura was so upset she couldn't eat for a week, and I don't recall her smiling until a year later. Did you even know what you meant to her? I saw it all, Sasuke-kun. Every one of us including me would have given our lives then for you to change your mind."

Tsunade was losing her calm, recalling that incident.

"Did you hear me!?"

Sasuke watched her silently.

"Who, Sasuke-kun, who would you die for?! Anyone?!" Tsunade was visibly agitated, and for once she did not care that he saw.

"There's one person," he said quietly.

She met his eyes skeptically, and discovered that they were not mocking her.

Tsunade sighed and threw a stack of papers on the table violently, scattering them all around. For awhile, she remained silent, staring at the mess she had made.

"What would you do...if I let you go." The question was posed as a statement.

Sasuke sighed. "There are some things...I have to make right. For one, I don't want to see her disappointed anymore."

Tsunade paused.

"Does that mean you will stay?"

Sasuke swallowed and stared at one of the paintings on the side wall. Did he? He was not sure of the answer himself. Would he be able to give up his desperate hunt for strength?

"Yes," he said resolutely, before a voice inside his head could argue differently. He wanted to her to have faith in him for once.

Tsunade hesitated. The last thing she wanted was an S-class criminal in Konoha, but then again, if he remained in the village she would be keep an eye on him. Just then, she remembered the suggestion that Naruto had offered.

"_I also believe he would suffer more if he was forced to face all those he betrayed. Why not let him stay in the village...only make it so he couldn't hurt anyone---"_

Tsunade walked over to where Sasuke was standing again. There was one way she could make sure he was not a threat for as long as she wanted.

"You've used your powers unwisely for the last few years. You hurt people, when you should have been protecting them. As a punishment, I will use a justu to take away your chakra reserves. That means no Sharingan, no jounin level justu for three years. Also no missions during that time either."

Sasuke closed his eyes, absorbing the meaning of her words. Parting with the powers he had painstakingly trained and suffered for was going to be incredibly difficult—he had relied heavily on them for so long; they were the only things he trusted in this world.

That is...until now.

Three years. It turned out to be a small price to pay.

"Hokage-sama..."

"For the first six months, I'll have ANBU nins escort you everywhere you go. The slightest suspicion that you tricked me, Sakura, or anyone else in the village—believe me. I _will_ find out, and I will not be kind."

He stared at her in wonder of her leniency.

"I'm going to take away your chakra reserves now. And don't think that anyone else can give it back to you, because they can't, no matter how skilled they are or how many forbidden scrolls they steal from my library.

After three years, if I think you deserve it, you powers will be restored through a set of five one-hour long recovery sessions. Got it?"

Sasuke straightened up and closed his eyes as he nodded. He felt her hands settle over his chest, which was still extremely sore after her previous attack.

The sensation was different this time around. At first it was only a chill, like an icy breeze, and then he realized that it was actually burning that he felt. His head tilted back in shock and a choked scream escaped from his throat.

The only thing remotely close to this was when Sasuke had gotten his chakra sucked out by Orochimaru's sound-nin during the Chuunin exam prelims—only now the pain was 100 times worse.

"Steady, Sasuke-kun. Do your best to remain standing. If you collapse now, you won't be able to stand for awhile afterward."

He tried not to focus on the agonizing pain.

"Judging on your chakra levels, this will take about ten minutes."

_Ten minutes...she must be kidding..._

Sasuke felt the beads of sweat trickling down his face. It was an excruciating process.

When she finally removed her hands after what seemed like hours, he was barely conscious and collapsed forward.

Tsunade supported his falling body with her arms, and though he was limp and heavy, it was nothing her monstrous strength could not handle.

She let him lean on her for awhile, clutching his body uncomfortably. She cleared her throat momentarily and said, "Sasuke-kun, stand up."

She supported him into a standing position, since his hands had been tied behind his back since the trial this morning. Sasuke obeyed reluctantly, still exhausted from the session.

"Turn around."

He rotated his body slowly but steadily.

Tsunade took a kunai out from one of the drawers nearby and charged it with her own chakra.

"I'm going to break the chakra strings tying your hands together now."

Sasuke was still breathing heavily, his body damp with perspiration.

When she cut the strings he was instantly surprised by the newfound freedom of movement he had. He had gotten used clasping his hands behind his back, but now he felt new, invigorating mobility in his arms. He tensed his muscles experimentally, and rubbed each of his wrists with his opposite hand. There was red indentation marking where the bonds had been.

Tsunade put away the kunai back in the drawer, and said in a soft, serious voice. "I want to believe in you. Don't let me down."

Sasuke felt his heart and breath finally slowing down now.

"I won't."

For a moment there was silence.

"Come here tomorrow morning. I will find something for you to do."

He bowed his head and remained still.

"You're on your own with regard to where you stay and who you associate with. But don't expect a friendly welcome from any of the Konoha shinobi or citizens. I know I will be answering to many people regarding your punishment."

"Tsunade-sama..." Sasuke did not know what he was going to say.

Tsunade walked back toward her desk and sat down in her chair.

"Why are you still in my office? Get out of here." There was a slight smirk on her face.

"Thank you."

She waved him off, and Sasuke gave a low bow and turned to run out of the office.


	28. Chapter 28

Though his body had been weakened, Sasuke ran quickly out of the Hokage's office and the government building. A weight had been lifted off his chest, and suddenly he found that it was so much easier to breathe. He descended the stairs with boyish energy, trying to control the smile that was tugging on the side of his lips. The air was clear, clearer than he had ever remembered it, and it filled him with a sense of renewal and hope. The sun was shining brighter at noon now than in the morning, which caused Sasuke to squint. He eventually noticed a despondent figure sitting on the bench outside the building. His pace slowed to a stop a few feet away from the person.

The man turned his face sideways and up toward Sasuke.

There was no mark of relief or surprise. In fact, there was barely a sign of recognition in that expression.

Sasuke forced himself to meet those steely blue eyes.

For a minute there was silence, as Sasuke wondered how long Naruto was going to stare at him.

Sasuke opened his mouth to say something, but he paused and closed it again. What was he supposed to say to this man after a seven year departure? The last time they had talked was during their emotional fight in the Valley of Death. Back then Sasuke was still young and did not have the heart to kill his teammate. But he doubted whether that bit of leniency earned him any warmth now. Sasuke knew better than to think he could make it up to him in one breath.

Naruto looked forward again, focusing on a point down the street, and narrowed his eyes gravely. He rubbed his hands on his thighs and then rested them there.

"You have nothing to say to me," he said firmly, still watching some figures walking in the distance some ways down the road.

Sasuke swallowed and tensed his jaw, keeping his eyes on Naruto.

Naruto's gaze fell to the edge of the bench opposite to the side closer to Sasuke.

"Don't thank me...I didn't do it for you," he muttered.

Sasuke remained still. There was a heavy pause.

Naruto picked at a loose thread on the hem of his jounin uniform near the knee. "Thank Sakura. She saved your sorry ass." His voice was detached and matter of fact.

Sasuke stiffened slightly. It was not like he had not expected Naruto's attitude to be chilly. As boys, they would disparage each other continually, but back then it was understood as a part of their strange camaraderie. Sasuke knew that this time it was not in jest.

Sasuke lowered his head while Naruto continued to ignore him, still watching the loose thread on his clothing flutter in the wind.

The discomfort of each other's proximity weighed on both shinobi's minds, and Sasuke eventually decided to rid them of it.

There was no point in staying here any longer. Sasuke sighed.

Soon, without a word, he turned and walked slowly down the street, feeling Naruto's gaze digging into his back until he rounded a corner.

Though many landmarks of Konoha remained the same, everything seemed smaller now. As he passed some buildings and restaurants, a few people turned to stare at him as discreetly as possible. Some pointed fingers in his direction while whispering furtively into a neighbor's ear. Sasuke ignored their cautious gossip, keeping his pace normal and eyes forward.

He did not want to run into any of his old friends at a time like this; it had been hard enough to look Naruto in the eye. Whether they were part of the crowd that was trying to steal a glance at him, he did not know, nor did he have a desire to find out.

After a few minutes, he passed a familiar intersection and, before he could stop himself, instinctively turned his head to the right. There at the end of the road, was a dilapidated section of town that seemed to exist in a different world from the bustling city life of Konoha. It was eerily silent except for the sound of stray animals skittering under the rubble. Sasuke noticed that the glass in the windows was shattered, the wooden boards were loose, and foliage meandered along the side of the walls of the buildings.

Juxtaposed to the atmosphere of decay, however, were remnants of an elegant past that recalled a more prosperous time. The elaborate wall decorations and vases that had once graced the buildings in their heyday were now too defaced even for looters to pilfer. An old tapestry with the familiar red and white symbol was used as a sleeping mat by one of the homeless.

Sasuke's legs felt like buckling right in the middle of the intersection.

It had been ages.

He remembered that as a child, after that incident, he would always avoid this particular path through the city.

Sasuke looked down to the brown dirt on the street to regain his composure. Then he sternly resumed walking straight.

His mind was no longer focused on the recent events or his narrow escape from death. Two facts filled his consciousness. He was still alive...and so was his brother.

He would have his day yet.

Faces blurred past him as Sasuke walked mechanically down the street.

Even if he was forced to stay in Konoha, it would be impossible for him to forget about the thing that kept him alive for the past seven years. Those scars ran too deep to ever be ignored; they were ingrained in his body like his own genetic make-up. His pain had shaped every part of his identity and it seemed to prescribe the path of his future.

Sasuke clenched his fists frustratingly.

If only he had his power back...

He knew he was in no shape to face Itachi now. For at least three years, he would have to take a long break from his ambition. On one hand it was like a relief, a temporary freedom from the incessant force that had pushed him forward. If he chose to, he would have the time and opportunity to think about his goals and lead a somewhat normal life. On the other hand, he felt powerless, vulnerable, and unprepared without his higher level skills. Even if he retained most of his taijutsu, his genjustu and ninjustu were now extraordinarily weakened. Almost any of the middle ranked shinobi could prove to be a challenge now. The thought of it made his stomach reel in disgust.

If word got out about what the Hokage did to him—and he did not know how it could not—who was to say that some vindictive shinobi would not seek him out and deliver a different sort of punishment? To say the least, he had certainly offended many people over the years. Perhaps Tsunade had indirectly sent him to his death after all.

Sasuke shook his head as he turned a familiar corner.

How was he going to survive like this?

A possible answer to the question seemed to reveal itself as he stumbled upon the apartment he had subconsciously sauntered toward all this time.

_Sakura..._

Sasuke walked right up to the door and took a deep breath. His knuckles paused in the air, ready to knock, and his fists tightened. Sasuke bit his lip and looked down at the mat on the floor.

Was he ready for what would come?

Before he could answer that question for himself, he knocked on the door decisively.

He waited for a few seconds, but there was no response.

"Come on, I know you're in there," he said calmly before knocking again. He uttered the words quietly, more to convince himself than the person inside.

After there was no answer again, he peered over at the window. The blinds were drawn; he could not remember a time that they had been. His instincts told him that she was home.

"I need to talk to you. Open up."

Inside the apartment, Sakura had been sitting on her bed, leaning against the headboard and staring off into space. The words had been too soft for her to hear, but the knocking had snapped her out of her thoughts. At first she was annoyed that someone was bothering her at a time like this, but then her heart jumped suddenly realizing that perhaps the trail was over and this person could be delivering her the verdict.

Sakura checked herself.

Did it really matter what the result was? Could it have ended any other way? And regardless, why would she even care?

The knocking repeated its steady rhythm.

Sakura pressed her lips together and looked down at her knees. She did not really want to see Naruto...or Lee or Ino or anyone else.

For a moment, Sakura stayed put and waited silently for the visitor's patience to run out. She sat still, but soon noticed her skin was tingling with anxiety and the knot in her stomach had tightened tortuously in the last minute.

The knocking persisted.

Sakura gritted her teeth. It was killing her. No matter how much she tried to convince herself otherwise, she had to know. It would be easier, she told herself, to get this part over with.

She finally threw off the comforter, and slid off the bed.

Sakura's knees were on the verge of collapsing as she made her way noiselessly towards the door.

Another knock. It was loud; she felt it in her heart.

Her hand paused on the bottom lock.

She swallowed hard and then quickly undid the locks one after the other with fumbling hands.

As she turned the knob and swung open the door, she heard a voice that was like a blow to the gut.

"I'm going to wait outside until you..."

The door moved through its path before Sakura could ask her if opening it was a good decision. Her gaze automatically fell on the shirt that had been hastily tossed to the ground a few nights ago, and then moved up to its owner's face.

The man paused.

...let me in," he finished in a trance as their eyes met.

Sakura suppressed a trembling breath and could feel the color leaving her cheeks. The hand still resting on the inside doorknob quivered uncontrollably.

Sasuke half expected her to jump up into his arms and smother him with kisses, but she did not. Sakura just stood there, staring at him in disbelief. Her ashen face made the bags under her wide eyes stand out. She had not gotten a good night's sleep.

Eventually, Sakura took a few steps back. Slowly and silently, she turned and Sasuke watched her sit on the couch in the living room. She settled into one of the end corners, curling up so her knees were pressed against her chest. The door was still open, and Sasuke hesitated, debating whether he should go in or leave.

After a few moments loitering inside the frame, he entered the apartment, and shut the door quietly behind him. He paused for a few seconds, leaning against the door. The brightness of the day was instantly shut out, and the gloomy apartment looked solemn and suddenly unfamiliar to him.

Sakura's gaze was intently focused on a corner in the room while Sasuke moved carefully to the couch. He sat down on the opposite side, and Sakura felt the weight of his body sink into the cushions.

He was positioned with his feet on the ground, leaning his weight forward with his forearms resting on the top of his thighs, hands clasped between his knees. For awhile, the only audible sound- the only sign that time was actually passing- was the ticking of the wall clock.

When she had run out of the courthouse this morning, Sasuke expected something might be amiss. Her detached attitude now confirmed his fears. The expression on her face was filled with shock, but it could not completely hide the resentment. For awhile, he avoided it and studied the coffee-table in front of him which was littered with a few magazines and empty take-out boxes.

Eventually Sakura voice penetrated the silence.

"She let you go," she said quietly without turning her head toward him.

"I see that upsets you," he remarked with a hint of bitterness.

Sakura sighed. There was a reason why she did not welcome him back with open arms. Had he expected her to overlook everything he had done and to go on acting like nothing had changed?

When her eyes turned to him, the initial shock had melted away into disillusionment. Sasuke forced himself to meet them.

"You never regretted it?" she asked breathlessly while shaking her head, "All this time...you never had a conscience?"

Sasuke looked down disappointedly at his clasped fingers again. So she wanted to talk about his crimes.

"When people begged for their life...did you not feel sympathy for them?" There was the slightest suggestion of hope in her voice. It was searching for some hint that it was still all a lie, but his face remained solemn and lowered out of clear view. He did not want to tell her the truth, that in fact he had regretted nothing to the very end.

Sakura, however, saw the answer in his stillness. She continued to shake her head in disbelief.

"Or was seeing people in pain, having them completely under your mercy not enough for you," she proposed tremulously.

Sasuke swallowed and did not respond. This was not how he had expected things to proceed, and he felt an uncontrollable surge of anger start to swell inside of him.

"Tell me," she whispered a little more harshly. "What was going through your mind when you tortured another person? Did you enjoy it?"

"Sakura, listen to me...," he said quietly, while turning his head to look at her. She looked at him expectantly, but his gaze slowly fell to the side, wondering what it was he had planned to say.

His externally pensive, controlled attitude made her agitation seem out of place, and this infuriated her. How was it that after thinking back on all the terror he had caused and the lives he had taken, that he could sit here, mute and impassive? He could not even say anything for himself.

She did not wait for him to gather his thoughts. The rush of emotions blinded all judgment and she began to feel emboldened by sheer outrage. "How about kidnapping? Assassination? Blackmail...Do you even remember their names or faces? Or had there been just too many to remember."

Sasuke gritted his teeth and tightened the muscles in his jaw. He was losing his patience; if this berating went on for much longer, who knew what would come out of his mouth in a fit of rage. It had been a trying morning, and the last person he had thought he would have to explain himself to was her.

The shred of self-control that was still intact told him that trying to defend himself would only make things worse. His goal was not to alienate her at a time like this.

"I'm not asking you to forget everything I did." He proceeded as gently as he could.

Sakura swallowed and her eyes darted around anxiously, trying to reclaim her composure. A part of her knew it was unwise to yell, but Sasuke had never been one to elicit her most logical feelings.

All of yesterday, in the back of her mind, she had harbored an image of how she would react if, by some miracle, he were to be set free. It would be like the heaviest weight had been lifted from her mind, and she would lose herself in the comfort of his body, just like the last few nights they had spent together.

This was not the way she had wanted it to be. Sakura buried her face in her knees, trying to banish the burning growing behind her closed eyes. The Hokage had spared his life; she should be happy, but there were a few issues she could not ignore. She had blindly trusted him because he reminded her of the Sasuke she remembered—her friend, her teammate, her first love—but the hard truth was that this man sitting by her really was a stranger. These two weeks, she had been living in a dream, foolishly thinking she had him figured out. During the trial, however, the seven-year span of his absence stretched out like a lifetime, and she realized there was so much she did not know.

Two weeks. Seven years. The numbers did not lie.

She lifted her head, but still averted his gaze. As she bit her fingernail disconcertedly, Sasuke noticed this was almost the same position she was in the first time he had told her about an example of violent behavior in the cabin in the woods. He had used it then to push her away; now that he did not want to, maybe he had finally succeeded.

He looked around the room hopelessly and saw that there was no comfort to be sought here. His first instinct was to leave before things got any worse, but he realized he had nowhere to go. The Hokage had taken his strength; even if he ran away and found Itachi in his current state, Sasuke would get beaten badly. For the next few years, he had hoped Sakura would be his support. Even if it was just her who accepted him, it would be enough. But now, he saw that trust slipping away before him.

He studied her thoughtfully. Still...there was a slight chance that that face was just confused and not genuinely set on rejecting him.

He scooted closer slowly so he was right next to her.

"Sakura," he said in a low voice. His hand settled over her free one that rested by her feet. She jerked it away as if she had been stung by blistering hot coals. This was not done instinctively, however. It had been a long time since their skin had come in contact, and it still sent a shiver down her spine. As she tightened her lips, her mind involuntarily traveled back to that night. She saw that moment in a different light now and wondered if he presumed that her doubts would collapse the instant he made a physical appeal to her. Perhaps he thought he could get away with anything, that she had such little self-respect that she would adore him without reservation, no matter what he did.

Sasuke faced forward again, hunching his back and grabbing the hair on the back of his head. He stared at the ground, frustrated at her rejection and increasingly incapable of quelling the annoyance growing in every inch of his body.

Sasuke shook his head. "I knew this would happen," he muttered. The tone of his voice was accusatory.

"Are you surprised?" Sakura shot back immediately.

Sasuke turned to face her again with cruel, challenging eyes. Unfazed, Sakura met them directly.

"Was it worth it?" she demanded.

Sasuke remained threateningly silent.

"Did it make you happy."

"It didn't," he said through clenched teeth.

"Then...why?"

The more Sasuke thought about this question, the more the invisible barrier that had steadily risen between them since his homecoming became dauntingly insurmountable. He thought she was different from the others; Sakura had once told him that she understood. Was she just testing him now or making him expose his private pain for her own sadistic pleasure?

Sasuke raised his voice, exasperated. "Don't you know?"

Sakura shook her head angrily, slowly at first but then more rapidly in disbelief. She rubbed her forehead and exhaled laboriously, trying in vain to control the frustration that was threatening to burst inside of her. She knew about his past and his family, but for some reason it no longer excused everything he had done. It was always that same damn reason, everything went back to that same damn incident. All Sasuke could ever do was wallow in pity and run away from his fears; it turned out that he was the biggest coward of them all.

How could he have loved her, when all along, all this time, everything had been about Itachi? He still did not get that there are some things in this world worth living and fighting for.

Or...perhaps she was not enough.

Sakura felt the pain in her chest. She would never be enough.

This realization made a mockery of her past devotion to him. All along, then, she had been in love alone. The betrayal was bitter to swallow.

Suddenly Sakura did not care if she offended him; it would, after all, be just retribution. She was tired of treading softly around him and desperately holding onto hope for their relationship while all signs pointed to disaster.

Her voice rang out with a shrill, uncontrolled fury.

"It's no excuse and you know it! When are you going to stop hiding behind it!?"

This uncharacteristic outburst from her dissembled the last sliver of patience that was holding Sasuke together. He was tired of trying to reason with her when she acted as if she did not know him. What did she want him to do—beg for her forgiveness? He wanted to scream out that she did not understand—she did not know what it was to lose her family like he did, to have a brother like he did. Or what it was like to feel worthless, powerless, to have a single ambition for so many years and still not be able to accomplish it.

"How can you even pretend to understand what it's like..." he growled spitefully. Then his voice grew loud and biting. "You were always in this perfect little world surrounded by all your pathetic friends. You know nothing about what I've been through. But why should you, everything has been just so _easy_, hasn't it. Just...fallen right into place for you!"

Sakura's eyes were wide with a mixture of fear and resentment, but she told herself to hold her ground. He had never taken this tone with her, and it was unnerving. For the time being, she could not find the voice in her throat.

Seeing her in shock caused the dam keeping Sasuke's emotions in check to crumble completely. To him, his insecurities, fears, and hopes had all been exposed in frightening lucidity, and they ignited a livid wrath inside of him that he had never experienced before. There was no stopping the words coming out of his mouth now. He no longer cared how much he hurt her then. In fact, it felt good; he wanted her to know how foolish she had been. Her feelings made it perfectly clear to him that all this time her affection had been based on a fantasy. Now she even had the audacity to feel cheated. She had been in love with an idea of him, which had been completely groundless. If this was as deep as her affection was, then there was no reason why he should hold back.

"I never hid who I was from you. You're acting like I deceived you, when all along you were just too blind to see it!" he said. "Did you pretend to be on my side all this time only to turn your back on me now?" he continued aggressively. The sharpness of his rigid stare felt like it could physically slice her skin open.

Sakura's face was pale and she pressed her lips together to keep her jaw from trembling. It was difficult to hide the fact that she was paralyzed with fear and powerless against his verbal attacks. Her strength was spent in meeting those cold, vicious eyes.

When she did not respond, he lowered his gaze to the ground and chuckled vindictively while shaking his head. All this time he had believed her love was unconditional, and he laughed at himself now for buying into it.

He looked up at her again with malice and smirked sarcastically.

When he spoke, his voice was forcefully calm. "Tell me...Was it all a lie?" he asked quietly. The pained tone made him seem more sensitive than he was. Sakura saw that he was shaking with anger.

He faced forward again and lowered his head, so his hair obscured his eyes. She could only see his mouth moving.

His voice became even softer. "Or what happened between us...would you give it to every man who whispered pretty words in your ear?"

Sakura blinked. When those words registered in her brain, her mouth dropped open slightly. It was like receiving an intense, physical blow—an eerily painless shock at first as one sees the injury connecting with the body. But soon the nerves catch up to the senses and the ache begins—small at first, so it seems like it could be bearable, but then it escalates exponentially into an excruciating torture.

There were no words in the world that could have been more demeaning or full of misunderstanding. There were no words that could have cheapened her years of genuine feeling like those. She had given a part of her to him that night that was his alone, and now he dismissed it as a shoddy misstep on his part, or perhaps some mundane physical thrill.

So this is the way he saw her.

Sakura had to remind herself to breathe; every part of her body was fixed on those words. The disillusionment, fear, and hatred she felt now were so overwhelming that she wondered if this could actually be happening. When she did not wake up from this nightmare, Sakura knew she could not take this anymore.

When she finally spoke, her voice was hoarse, but the words were unmistakable.

"Get out."

Before she could read his reaction, she quickly summoned the energy to her legs to get off of the couch and started to walk away from him. The flooding of tears began to fog her eyes as she made her way down the hallway and toward the bedroom.

Sasuke was furious.

"Sakura!" he screamed.

She heard him, and her pace quickened to a jog. She did not want to see him anymore.

He quickly removed his weight from the couch and ran after her, getting angrier by the second. How dare she leave him like this without answering his question? He swore to himself he would get her response, no matter what it took.

"Damn it, Sakura! I'm not through with you!!" he called after her.

When she reached the bedroom she attempted to turn around to close the door with her weight, but by this time he had caught up to her, and his arm forcibly pushed it open. Sakura stumbled a few steps back, her eyes focused on his searing expression and tense body.

"I bet you regret everything...I messed up your neat little plans, and I bet you curse yourself for it!" He yelled maniacally with clenched fists as he made his way slowly toward her.

He wanted to physically hurt her; she could feel the intent. Sakura turned her back to him but soon discovered there was no way to escape.

"You regret it..." he repeated.

He was close now. Sakura, desperate, decided she would have to smash open the window to get out of this room. Maybe her life depended on it.

She ran toward the window and was about to punch through the glass when a strong hand clenched her wrist. Sakura looked back at him with indignant surprise, but her anger gave way to pure fear as she was jerked away from her potential exit route and back to the middle of the room.

She struggled vehemently, but Sasuke swung her forcibly and eventually grabbed hold of her other wrist. A few seconds later, Sakura felt the force of his weight pushing her in a particular direction and slamming her back against the wall. Her eyes screwed shut in pain and she bit down hard on her lower lip.

Sakura's teeth ground against each other and her tangled long hair swung with each thrash as she tried to free herself. However, this only provoked Sasuke to tighten his grip and lean in closer to her. Soon, Sakura became frightfully aware that it was hopeless to struggle. She was pinned against the wall with her hands on either side of her head.

As her body grew limp, Sakura swallowed nervously and turned her head to the left, attempting to stop the tears of frustration from falling at a time like this. She did not want to give him the satisfaction of seeing her cry. It was hard, though; she was sure that her heaving chest and ice cold skin already betrayed her fear.

He was in total control now. Sakura's heart raced as she thought about what he might do to her.

He leaned down close, whispering into her ear. "You regret it," he said in a cruel voice, "Don't you." Sakura could feel his warm breath on her skin.

He waited a few seconds, but Sakura did not respond. The tears she had tried to subdue now fell silently from the corners of her closed eyes. It was like he was already convinced, like he wanted her to say yes.

"Don't you!?" he said bitterly, constricting his hold on her wrists and shaking her.

Sakura paused and gathered the courage to turn her face towards his again. They were only separated by a couple inches. He could feel the heat from her flushed cheeks.

Then she gave a sharp, frightened whisper, "Yes."

There was a pause as time seemed to stand still for both of them. Sasuke did not know what response he had expected, but when she said the word he felt the ground beneath him slip away. He saw those green irises watching him with crippling fear.

Fear. He had grown accustomed to it; he had even relished it in other people's eyes. But he did not enjoy it now, not in hers. He had never seen fear like this.

Sakura kept her intense gaze on Sasuke's face as his head turned, his attention focusing somewhere on her shoulder. His jaw tensed again. Her response was less satisfying than he had imagined it to be. He had been looking for the answer that would finally send him over the top and give him the excuse he needed to hurt her without hesitation, but he had not anticipated that it would be he who would be in pain now. He had not thought this out thoroughly; he realized now that he had been careless.

He checked himself and discovered the passionate anger that coursed through his veins a few moments ago had dulled into a steady throbbing.

What was he doing? This is not the way he originally wanted it to happen when he first knocked on the door. This was not the way he was suppose to have her.

But he knew...

A part of him knew he had already gone too far for this to be saved. He was overwhelmed with a sense of finality.

Sasuke straightened up slowly, let go of her hands, and stepped back. Sakura's arms dropped suddenly and she followed his body with her surprised eyes.

Sasuke took a few more steps away and then turned his body away from her. She saw his head tilt up for a second as he grabbed the hair on the back of his head in confusion. Then his arms fell down to his sides, and his body collapsed to a sitting position at the very edge of her bed.

For a minute he just sat, staring at a point somewhere in front of him. After some time, he leaned over and hunched his back until it was almost horizontal. Finally he buried his face in his hands and rubbed it roughly.

Sakura studied his defeated figure speechlessly. Then her attention turned to her wrists, which were still red with the fresh pain of his grip. She clasped them gently.

Love was not supposed to be like this. Even this morning, although she had been disappointed by his lack of remorse for his crimes, she had never once thought he would direct his violence toward her. She realized now that it was a way of life for him, something he turned to solve problems. If they were to have fights in the future—which would be expected of any relationship—who knew what he would do to her then?

Perhaps it would be better to avoid that road from the beginning.

There was sadness in this insight. She never thought it would end like this, after all they had been through. But...she could not deny that she kind of missed feeling safe and in control of her feelings. She had been so level-headed before meeting him that night, and a part of her sorely wished to return back to the time things made sense. It would be the smart decision.

But she wanted to make one thing clear before they went their separate ways.

"Sasuke..." her voice was low and tremulous.

His hands still covered his lowered face.

Sakura remained still against the wall and took a shaky breath.

"You're right. I can't imagine what it must have been like for you. My world is smaller and more comfortable than yours...but..."

Sakura paused.

"You're wrong if you think I don't know what loneliness is," she said clearly.

He did not look up. He remained hunched, elbows on his thighs, and face supported in his hands.

For a moment, Sakura watched him for any sort of reaction, but his body did not move. The contour of his broad back was smooth and still, interrupted only by the lines of his shoulder blades.

Sakura felt like she should tell him what was on her mind. Perhaps he already knew.

"If being together is going to be like this..." she said softly.

Sakura stopped for a second. Since those days in academy when she was still drawing hearts around their names, to that night she tried to stop him from leaving Konoha seven years ago, to yesterday when she rested her head against the prison concrete exterior, she never thought the following words would come out of her mouth. She had believed it was fate that brought them back together, but now she saw she had been wrong.

She took a deep breath, and continued. "...I think we might be better off apart."

Sakura waited in anxious silence for something—anything. His reticence weighed heavily in the room,

Clenching her fists nervously, she made her way slowly to where he sat. The soft beat of her steps were the only audible sound, and they stopped when Sakura paused, standing directly in front of him.

"Sasuke, look at me," she said gently.

When he did not comply, she used one hand to pull lightly on one of his forearms. It surprised her that the muscles were tense.

Sakura bit her lip and tried again.

"Sasuke...please."

Sakura ran her hand down his forearm again and tugged a little harder on it. She tried to loosen his hold on his face.

He did not budge for awhile, but Sakura kept persisting.

After sometime, she felt the connection between his hands and face suddenly break.

He straightened up slightly, but his body was still hunched at an angle and his face out of view. His hands now rested in front of the space between his legs.

Sakura reached for one of his hands with both of hers and he did not resist. Turning the palm up, she noticed that it glistened curiously in the low light. When she ran her thumb down the palm, she discovered devastatingly that it was wet.

Her finger paused in shock of the realization. The air in her lungs stumbled out of her mouth in an unstable breath as her stomach lurched painfully.

Sakura suddenly forgot what it was she was going to say.

After a few more seconds, she removed one hand from his and placed it on one of his burning cheeks, lifting his face to look at hers.

His back straightened as he met her eyes.

What was this feeling that she felt...it was bittersweet, heart-wrenching, and disarmed her completely. She had never looked down on his face before; the perspective made the tears brimming in his eyes even more conspicuous. That face that had been so full of malice ten minutes ago now showed the true emotions that had been building up for a whole morning. It was a moment of vulnerability she had never expected to see from the stoic man who had always lived with his guard up. However, now she wondered how much strength it must have taken him to put a cap on these intense feelings for so long and toss them aside as if they meant nothing. For these seven years, he had not had someone to trust, no one to turn to during those times everything seemed to go unbelievably wrong. He had had to swallow the hurt, stifle the cry, and keep moving—constantly moving forward.

He had been right. She could never understand quite what it was like. She had cried countless times in the past few years, but she always knew she had someone to lean on if she wanted: Ino, Naruto, Lee, or any her other friends in the village—they all cared about her. This man...he had no one.

Even now, though Tsunade had not killed Sasuke, Sakura knew the Hokage would not let him out of sight. Maybe it would be a bigger punishment to force him to live in Konoha; there was no doubt in Sakura's mind that he would be an outcast, especially after his crimes had been divulged to all the shinobi and villagers at the trial. Sasuke would be pointed at and singled out by everyone. There were bound to be whispers and rumors behind his back, perhaps even from his old friends.

No matter what he did in the past, she did not wish that on him. Even if it was to a lesser degree, she knew how silent the world fell when one was perpetually alone. There was only so much someone could bear.

As she stared at the heartbroken face in her hands, she knew she had to make a decision now, one that she would never be able to go back on.

Both her hands dropped from his body as she closed her eyes, conflicted.

Pity alone would not be enough to save them. The question now was whether or not there was anything else more substantial holding her here with him.

Sakura's mind traveled back to the moments they had shared, trying to find what could have been a hint of duplicity or insincerity that she overlooked before.

Suddenly she recalled their last meeting together that night in prison. What had he said then?

"_But no matter what you hear, no matter what you think of me afterwards, I want you to know...I meant everything I said and did last night." _

So he had anticipated her reaction, and he had wanted her to know everything had been in earnest.

Sakura took a deep breath. Even though Sasuke could get her so unglued and make her feel so lost, he had also made her shiver with excitement and pleasure. If he was going to stay, she could not ignore him even if she tried.

She felt a sting in her throat and opened her eyes again, looking back down on that face possessed with the most intense, pleading

expression she had ever seen. Everything logical in her mind told her that he had hurt her for too long and that she should send him away. But in heart, in her soul, she wanted to believe so badly in that ending she had hoped for.

Sakura bit her lip and shook her head. Perhaps this would prove to be the single stupidest decision of her life. But whether or not it would be, she wanted to find out.

Without a word, Sakura moved in the space between his legs and closed the distance between their bodies. One hand buried in his hair; the other gripped him behind the neck. Then she pulled him in and clutched his head protectively to her trembling abdomen.

She could feel his breath and the contours of his burning face through her clothing. His hot tears seeped through the fabric as he buried his face in the shelter of her body. Then Sasuke slid his arms around her hips, his grip tightening around her in a desperate embrace. He clung to her like he was clinging to life itself, and his fingers pressed into her skin painfully.

"Sasuke..." she whispered hopelessly.

Now she could feel him shaking in her arms.

His voice, muffled by her shirt, vibrated in her stomach.

"I'm sorry, Sakura," he choked softly. "I'm so sorry," he whispered into her.

Sakura tightened her grip on his hair and he pushed his face deeper into the region under her chest.

"I would never hurt you on purpose...I..."

"I know...it's...it's okay..."

"I was angry...and stupid..."

"You don't have to say anymore." Sakura said this mostly for her own well-being. His words were making her so weak in the knees, she thought she would collapse if it were not for his strong arms wrapping around her body.

For a moment, they held each other in silence except for Sasuke's intermittent, muffled sniffing. He tried to get a handle on his emotions, and after a few minutes he had calmed down and loosened his grip on her. Turning his head to the side, he hastily rubbed the rest of the tears away with the palm of his hand.

Sakura took a step back with an empathetic expression on her face. Then she moved over next to him, and sat with both feet on the bed, cross legged. Silence fell as they both faced forward, a little inundated by the emotions that had passed. Sakura picked at her fingernails while Sasuke remained pensive and still.

Sakura lowered her gaze and realized guiltily that he had not been the only one at fault. She, too, had said hurtful things that she wished she could take back.

"What I said about regretting...us..." Sakura eventually said gently, still facing forward. "I didn't mean it. I could never mean it even if I wanted to."

Sasuke did not respond and Sakura wondered what he was thinking. Then he turned his body to face hers and Sakura met his gaze. It showed a trace of hope.

"Can we start over? Just...everything..." he paused earnestly, and licked his lips thoughtfully. "Redo it...right this time?" he searched her face for some encouragement.

Sakura took a deep breath and shook her head sadly, looking away.

"I'll start," he said resolutely.

Sakura pleaded with her eyes, but this did not deter him.

"My name...is Uchiha Sasuke. I'm twenty years old."

Sakura remained silent and turned her head down.

"Let's see...more about me..." He looked off into space for inspiration. Then his eyebrows raised. "Well...I don't like sweets...or Natou."

Sakura looked up at him again and smiled slightly.

"My life has been..." Sasuke sighed and became suddenly serious. He wiped his lips with a set of his fingers. "Well...I'll just say...I've been lost for some time. But the moment I saw you, a strange thing happened and I felt like I finally found myself."

Sakura's eyes softened, but the sadness was still there.

"So I'd like to get to know you...that is, if you're not seeing anyone..." he said meaningfully.

"Sasuke," Sakura said painfully. "Stop. I don't want to start over again...I don't think we can."

Sasuke's remained still for a moment. Then his shoulders slumped slightly and his eyes moved around disappointedly.

When he spoke again, his voice was steadily insistent. "Come on Sakura, please try with me."

Sakura sighed.

"Please."

"Sasuke..."

He looked intently at her. "What would you say...if it started like this?"

Sakura rubbed her arms with her hands and paused, looking away thoughtfully.

"I would say..." she sighed and rubbed her own cheek. "That I'm sorry...but there is someone else."

These words stunned him at first, but he soon understood what she meant while she looked expressively into his eyes.

"He's been out of my life for so long, but I've never been able to forget about him, no matter how hard I tried."

Sasuke felt the desire to protest. Sakura lifted a hand, and hesitated, but eventually brushed a strand of his dark hair out of his eyes. Although she had always been open with him, divulging her feelings so completely like this was difficult. But she wanted him to know.

"When he came back to me, my whole world changed. It was only then I realized how empty it had been without him. The time we spent...it felt right."

Sasuke swallowed. "But he makes you cry," he said bitterly.

"Sometimes. He has a heart that has been filled with hate for so long, but that's because he once lost what he loved. He makes me feel...crazy, confused, scared...I reach out to him and wonder if he even hears me."

Sasuke looked down soberly. "He is a fool."

"But I wouldn't have him any other way." She lowered her face to try to get a glance at his.

He lifted his head again.

Sakura continued nervously. "Because he also makes my heart jump when he's near, when he touches my hand everything inside me aches for him. And when we're together, he makes me feel like I'm the only one."

Sakura shook her head, dissatisfied. "I can't really describe it."

Sasuke stared at her in amazed disbelief.

To Sakura, the answer now was clear. "So I don't think I can start anything new...because..."

She looked at him steadily although her stomach was now fluttering uncomfortably.

"Because even though he's not perfect, I've already fallen in love with him...and something tells me..."

Sakura nodded earnestly and pressed her lips together.

"...that we're going to be just fine."

Sasuke's eyes were wide with incredible gratefulness. One of his hands crept over hers and settled there. This time she did not withdraw.

Sakura's eyes fell to where they were connected. There was no way she could deny that the sensation of his touch was pleasant.

"In that case," he said softly, "I'll make sure he never hurts you again."

She watched him lift her hand so it obscured the lower portion of his face from her view. Sakura only felt his breath and tip of his nose at first, but then she noticed the soft pressure of his lips against her palm. Sasuke then moved to the inside of her wrist and gave it another gentle kiss while keeping his eyes fixed to hers. The gesture was at once strikingly chaste and intimate, and it made her blush with pleasure and embarrassment.

"This is the hard part, Sakura. I don't care what anyone else thinks, but...I need you. I need you on my side now more than ever."

She was silent for awhile, feeling the texture of the smooth skin on his face. Then she realized she had never asked.

"What was the punishment?" she asked quietly as her hand dropped down. Sakura felt herself holding her breath as she waited, trying to shove a few frightening possibilities out of her mind.

Sasuke's hand went to his chest and palpated the region where the blow had been delivered. "The Hokage took away most of my chakra...so three years without Sharingan, jounin-level techniques, or missions. A few months of probation."

He smiled faintly. "That's not so bad, is it?"

Sakura looked at him in bittersweet wonder. She knew how much he must have relied on his powers over the years. They had been all he had lived for and were such an integral part of his conception of self-worth.

He unconsciously laced his fingers in hers experimentally.

"I'm going to see the Hokage tomorrow morning, she'll assign me to a task. Probably clean the chalkboards in academy or something like that," he said with a small grin.

Sakura gave a weak smile and looked down on at their intertwined hands again. Sasuke watched her, contemplating something in his head. Before this, he had not anticipated staying in Konoha longer than the three years he had to, but now, he wondered if he really meant to stay. There was no doubt in his mind that if he did, he would have to be wholeheartedly with her, and not plotting his next plan or method of escape.

He stiffened slightly.

"You're right to think I have nothing to offer," he explained in a humble tone.

Sasuke did not want to promise something he could not do, but who knew what was possible in these three years. In two weeks, she had already changed him in a way he never could have conceived. She had been devoted to him all this time, the least she deserved was for him to try the same. Yet, he wished he did not have to face her now as a powerless liability.

He felt so empty-handed and it frustrated him.

He then remembered the words she had once said to him. Despite dismissing them at the time, they had involuntarily stuck in his memory. If what he was feeling now was what she had felt then, he wished for the life of him that he had not been so cold.

Sasuke looked down at her fingers twisting around his instinctively, and he spoke softly.

"I can only give you everything I have...every part of me..."

Sakura's hand suddenly paused in his. She felt a chill down her spine as she closed her eyes, absorbing the significance of those words. They were heartbreakingly familiar.

She snapped herself out of her surprise and slowly shifted her weight up to a kneeling position on the bed so her feet were tucked in under her. The beating of her heart began to speed up as she studied him with mixture of empathy and desire.

"And I hope...it's enough for you," Sasuke finished in a low voice. His head was still turned down modestly.

Sakura felt a lump growing in her throat. She wanted to yell out yes, yes it was enough, it was more than enough, but she found herself incapable of speech.

"It's not going to be easy..." Sasuke continued.

Sakura wondered why he was still talking; he had convinced her long ago. With a deep breath she took his face in both her hands tenderly and lifted it so their eyes met.

Those eyes. They were the first thing about him she had recognized. She decided then that they had not changed that much.

"It's enough..." Sakura whispered in a haze as she examined his face in awe. It was filled with most amazing appreciation. She had waited her whole life for him to look at her like that.

Then her gaze fell down to his lips expectantly. Even though they had shared an intimate moment before, the anticipation of a kiss from him still curled her stomach into knots. His face moved near, and she closed her eyes.

When nothing happened, she opened them halfway.

"Can I kiss you now?" Sasuke murmured formally.

"You don't have to ask," she sighed as she held his face close. Sasuke still hesitated for some reason, and the eagerness for Sakura was agonizing. Before he had time to speculate what she was going to do next, she drew his face towards hers suddenly and pushed her lips against his. Sasuke grabbed the mattress for support as he was pulled forward.

When their mouths broke apart, Sakura looked distantly into his dark eyes.

Then she sensed his weight shift as he leaned in to claim her lips again.

She had not yet gotten used to his affection; the thrill of the gesture was still new. It was different from the one she had just given him, and also different from what she received two nights ago.

Sakura tried to stifle the smile creeping onto her occupied mouth.

She wanted him to kiss her a thousand different ways, and her heart was filled with a hopeful satisfaction when she realized she would have a lifetime to experience them.

FIN


End file.
